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IGHTS    AND     OHADOWS 


OP 


ARMY  L 


RMY     L^IFE: 


Pen  Pictures  from  the  Battlefield,  the  Camp, 
and  the  Hospital. 


BY  REV.  W.  W.  LYLE,  A.  M., 

CHAPLAIN  ELEVENTH  KEGIMENT,  0.  V.  I.,  U.  9.  A. 


THIBD  EDITION. 


CINCINNATI: 
E.  W.  CAEROLL  &  CO.,  PUBLISHERS, 

73  WEST  FOURTH  STREET, 

OPEEA-HOUSE   BUILDING. 

1865. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1865, 
BY  W.  W.  LYLE, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  th«  Southern 
District  of  Ohio. 


STEREOTYPED  AT  THE 

FRANKLIN    TYPE    FOUNDRY, 

CINCINNATI,  0. 


h-  TO 

UJ 
CO 


COLONEL    P.    P.    LANE, 

«T  OHIO  VOL1 

Volume 


OC  ELEVENTH  REGIMENT  OHIO  VOLr.VTF.KRS, 

00 


P*  IS 

J^ 

in 

CM  AS  AN  HTJMBLE  TRIBUTE  OF  RESPECT  FOR  HIS  PURE  PATRIOTISM;    HIS  AKDENT 

O  DEVOTION  TO  THE  CAUSE  OF  HITMAN  LIBERTY;    HIS  BRAVERY  AS  A 

z 

SOLDIER;  HIS  RESPECT  FOR  AND  INTEREST  IN  OUR 

UNION  DEFENDERS; 

AND  AS  AN  HUMBLE  BUT  SINCERE  ACKNOWLEDGMENT  OF  THE  INTEREST 
HE  EVER  MANIFESTED  IN  THE  MORAL  AND  RELIGIOUS 

I 

WELFARE  OF  HIS  COMMAND. 

B 

THE  AUTHOR. 


CONTENTS. 


PREFACK 


CHAPTER  L 

Introductory  —  God  and  our  Country  —  Interest  in  our  Volun- 
teers —  First  Impressions  ..............................................       9 

CHAPTER  IL 

Slavery  and   the   Rebellion  —  Organization   of  a  Regimental 
Church  .....................................................................     22 

CHAPTER  IIL 

Gauley  Bridge,  Western  Virginia  —  General  Cox  at  Flat-top  — 
Hospital  Scenes  ..........................................................     40 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Angels    in    the    Hospital  —  Woman's    Work  —  A    Remarkable 
Death-bed  .................................................................     62 

CHAPTER  V. 
Flowers  for  the  Sick  —  A  Joke  at  the  Chaplain's  Expense....     78 

CHAPTER  VI. 

"What   is  a  Woman  Worth?"  —  Soldier  Mechanics  —  Pack's 
Ferry  ......................................................................     84 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Changes  —  Sacramental  Services  —  Battle  at  Bull  Run  —  Fight 
at  Frederick  City,  Md  ................................................  103 


VI  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEE  VIII. 

MM 

Battle  of  South  Mountain — Bravery  of  the  Twenty-third  Ohio 
Regiment— Incidents  of  the  Field 123 

CHAPTER  IX. 

The    Ideal  and    the   Actual    of  War — "My  Brother,  0    my 
Brother  I" — Woman's  Love  and  Sympathy 140 

CHAPTER  X. 

Battle    of  Antietam — Heroic    Bravery — The    Stone  Bridge — 
Death  of  Colonel  Coleman — Treachery  or  Cowardice 147 

CHAPTER  XI. 

A  Gleam  of  Sunshine — The   Dying  Soldier  and  his  Bible — 
The  Loved  One  Remembered  in  Death 164 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Divine  Service  on  the  Field — Religious  Comfort  in  the  Hour  of 
Battle 174 

CHAPTER  XIII. 

A  Terrible  March — Soldiers'  Prayers  and  a  General's  Purga- 
tory— Political  versus  Military  Strategy 181 

CHAPTER  XIV. 

Cold  Knob  —  Bravery  and  Endurance  —  Rebels  Caught-  Nap- 
ping   190 

CHAPTER  XV. 
At  Summerville — Religious  Interests — The  Prodigal's  Return.  199 

CHAPTER  XVI. 
The  Soldier's  Last  Resting-place — Reveries  in  a  Graveyard....  209 

CHAPTER  XVII. 
"Little  Shady"— Beauties  of  Slavery 220 


CONTENTS.  Vll 

CHAPTER  XVIII. 

MM 

The  Army  of  the  Cumberland — Rebels  in  Front,  Meaner  Rebels 
in  Rear — Soldiers'  Resolutions 225 

CHAPTER  XIX. 

A  Kidnapper  Frustrated  —  Tribute  to  a  Christian  Soldier — 
"Gottesacker" — Posterity  and  our  Military  Cemeteries...  236 

CHAPTER  XX. 
A  Beautiful  and  Impressive  Scene — Living  Water 249 

CHAPTER  XXL 

Hoover's   Gap — Very  Romantic  —  Hydropathy,   Mutton,   and 
Conscience — A  Brave  Chaplain 257 

CHAPTER  XXII. 

Rosecrans's  Strategy  —  Crossing  Lookout — Perilous  Position 
of  the  Army 276 

CHAPTER  XXIII. 

Battle  of  Chickamauga — Religious   Services  on  the  Field — 
Turchin's  Brigade — Cut  Through  or  Surrender 286 

CHAPTER  XXIV. 

Wilder's  Brigade  and  Longstreet's  Veterans — Frightened  Cor- 
respondents— God's  Providence 307 

CHAPTER  XXV. 

War  is  Dreadful — Brighter  Days  for   our  Country  —  Name- 
less Crimes — Irish  Chivalry — "In  de  Cane-brake." 316 

CHAPTER  XXVI. 

Incidents  of  the  Field — The  "Old  Flag  yet!" — Letter  from 
a  Christian  Soldier — An  Adroit  Movement 328 


VU1  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTEE  XXVII. 

PAGE 

Secrets  of  Slavery  —  White  Slaves  —  The  Poor  Whites — New 
Application  of  Scripture 341 

CHAPTEE  XXVIII. 

The  Dying  Soldier's  Dream  of  Home — The  Sentinel — Life  a 
Battle 354 

CHAPTEE  XXIX. 

Betel   Barbarities  —  National    Cemetery   at    Chattanooga  — 
Courage  and  Generosity 872 

APPENDIX...  ..  391 


PREFACE. 


IT  is  said  that  a  preface  is  seldom  read.  From  this  it 
has  been  inferred  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  write  one.  Some 
literary  oracles  have  even  gone  further,  and  asserted  that 
it  is  a  violation  of  good  taste  to  detain  the  reader  at  the 
threshold  of  a  book,  and  compel  him  to  endure  several 
pages  of  prefatory  explanations,  which,  at  the  best,  are  but 
covert  egotisms,  when,  it  is  to  be  presumed,  he  is  desirous 
of  entering  at  once  upon  the  work  of  examining  the  book 
itself.  Others,  with  equal  authority,  declare  that  a  proper 
regard  for  the  claims  of  etiquette  demands  that  strangers 
be  introduced  to  each  other  by  a  third  party,  and  that  the 
same  rule  holds  good  in  the  literary  world.  Whatever 
opinion  may  be  adopted  on  this  not  very  important  ques- 
tion, the  general  practice  seems  to  be  in  favor  of  the  time- 
honored  custom  of  making  at  least  a  bow  to  the  reader 
before  thrusting  upon  his  attention  the  full  contents  of  a 
volume.  It  is  generally  safe,  in  matters  of  mere  etiquette, 
to  follow  established  customs.  In  the  present  instance  it 
is  considered  not  only  safe,  but  necessary. 

A  few  sentences  will  comprise  all  that  need  be  said  in 
this  prefatory  note. 

And,  first,  the  book  is  not  a  history  of  the  war  ;  it  makes 
no  such  pretensions.  Even  in  the  brief  sketches  given  of 
several  severe  battles,  such  as  South  Mountain,  Antietam, 
Chickamauga,  etc.,  no  attempt  is  made  at  elaborate  details. 
The  sketches  themselves  are  merely  outline  pictures,  with 


X  PKEFACE. 

here  and  there  some  scene  of  touching  pathos,  a  bright 
beam  of  sunshine,  perhaps,  against  a  dark  background, 
or  some  humorous  incident  reproduced,  and  thrown  in,  by 
way  of  relief,  to  some  somber  shadows.  It  is  believed 
that,  however  rough  the  outlirfcs  may  be,  they  are  faith- 
fully and  correctly  sketched.  More  accomplished  artists 
may  glance  at  such  outlines,  drawn,  as  they  have  been, 
amid  the  excitements  and  dangers  of  the  camp  and  field, 
and  which  have  been  traced  by  those  who  mingled  in  the 
scenes  described ;  they  may  correct  all  the  erratic  lines  of 
the  humble  sketchers,  fill  in  where  there  were  only  un- 
meaning blanks,  finish  what  was  unfinished  and  imperfect, 
and  leave,  for  the  admiration  and  safe-keeping  of  future 
generations,  critically  correct  and  elaborately  finished  pic- 
tures, that  will  live  and  be  admired  ages  after  such  humble 
sketches  as  the  following  will  have  been  buried  beneath 
the  waves  of  oblivion. 

However  imperfectly  the  work  of  tracing  the  LIGHTS 
AND  SHADOWS  OF  ARMY  LIFE  may  have  been  done,  it  has 
been  a  labor  of  love.  Undertaken  at  the  repeated  and 
urgent  solicitation  of  friends,  both  in  and  out  of  the  army, 
it  has  been  prosecuted  with  a  twofold  purpose,  namely,  to 
pay  an  humble  tribute  to  the  bravery,  integrity,  and 
moral  worth  of  our  patriot  heroes,  and  bring  before  the 
Christian  public  facts  connected  with  the  religious  experi- 
ences of  our  soldiers  in  the  field,  and  place  upon  record 
facts  and  incidents  which  testify  to  the  saving  power  of 
the  Gospel.  Other  and  abler  pens  have  given  thrilling 
narratives  of  the  devotion,  zeal,  unflinching  courage,  and 
heroic  endurance  of  our  brave  defenders,  and  others  will 
yet  be  employed  in  the  same  noble  work.  While  the 
author  has  by  no  means  ignored  such  a  worthy  theme, 
but  has  recorded,  in  the  following  pages;  numerous  inci 
dents  of  bravery  and  endurance,  he  has  sought,  at  the 


PREFACE.  XI 

same  time,  to  bring  out,  in  bold  relief,  the  less  imposing, 
but  not  less  important  and  interesting,  facts  connected  with 
the  living  and  dying  of  our  patriot  heroes.  Nearly 
three  years'  service  in  the  army,  both  East  and  West,  af- 
forded ample  opportunities  to  notice  the  fruits  of  religious 
culture  and  effort  upon  the  soldier,  whether  he  was  resting 
in  camp,  or  was  on  the  long,  weary  march  ;  amid  the  dread 
scenes  of  the  battlefield,,  or  in  the  wards  of  the  hospital. 
While  the  author,  therefore,  has  grouped  together  inci- 
dents of  the  camp,  or  sketched  tragic  scenes  and  heroic 
deeds  on  the  battlefield,  given  here  or  there  some  humor- 
ous occurrences,  or  traced  some  army  movements,  he  has 
endeavored  to  keep  steadily  in  view  the  moral  and  re- 
ligious elements  connected  with  the  army.  The  saving 
power  of  the  Gospel  of  the  Son  of  God,  the  strength 
which  is  imparted  to  the  heart  of  man,  through  faith  in 
our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  which  buoys  him  up  amid  the 
most  trying  and  terrific  earthly  scenes — the  cheering  in- 
fluences of  religious  hope  and  trust  in  the  hour  of  sick- 
ness, and  amid  heart  longings  and  loneliness,  together  with 
the  glorious  triumphs  of  the  believing  soul  in  the  hour 
of  death,  have  all  been  exemplified  in  the  army;  and  the 
following  pages  have  been  primarily  devoted  to  the  re- 
cording of  such  facts  and  incidents  as  illustrate  these 
truths. 

To  all  who  love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  who  labor 
and  pray  for  the  salvation  of  the  world;  to  all  whose 
hearts  thrill  with  patriotic  ardor  and  devotion  at  the  sight 
of  that  dear  old  flag — dearer  now  than  ever,  because 
stained  with  the  life-blood  of  Freedom's  martyrs — and 
which  is  the  emblem  of  peace  to  "  men  of  good  will,"  and 
the  emblem  of  liberty  to  the  oppressed  of  all  nations ; 
to  all  who  love  and  honor  the  memories  of  our  fallen 
heroes,  and  who  treat  with  respect  and  honor  our  living 


xii  PREFACE. 

defenders ;  to  all  who  labor,  by  word  and  deed,  in  behalf 
of  our  beloved  country ;  to  all  who  are  willing  to  make 
every  sacrifice  in  order  to  hand  down  to  coming  genera- 
tions an  unbroken,  unimpaired,  and  untarnished  heritage 
of  freedom;  to  the  weeping  fathers  and  mothers  and  wives 
and  children  of  those  who  have  fallen  in  battle,  and  to 
the  noble  women  of  the  land,  who  have  labored  so  hero- 
ically and  perseveringly  to  sustain  the  thrice-blessed  Sani- 
tary and  Christian  Commissions — to  all  such  does  the  au- 
thor humbly  commend  this  unpretending  volume,  with  the 
prayer  that  it  may  not  only  interest,  but  instruct  and 
comfort,  every  reader. 

NOTE. — A  word,  by  way  of  explanation,  relative  to  some  features 
of  a  local  character  connected  with  the  volume.  In  order  to  re- 
lieve the  book  from  any  undue  prominence  of  merely  local,  or 
rather,  regimental  interest,  and  yet  weave  into  the  general  narra- 
tive outline  sketches  of  regimental  history,  the  author,  at  the  sug- 
gestion of  friends  in  whose  wisdon\  he  could  trust,  has  simply 
noted  matters  of  general  interest  connected  with  the  history  and 
movements  of  the  Eleventh  Ohio  Regiment,  of  which  he  had  the 
honor  of  being  chaplain,  and  thrown  into  an  appendix  items  of  in- 
terest to  those  who  had  friends  in  the  regiment.  To  the  friends 
of  those  connected  with  the  Eleventh  it  will  be  an  interesting 
feature  of  this  work.  The  intention  was  to  give  an  abridged 
history  of  the  regiment  proper,  but  this  was  found  to  be  imprac- 
ticable. A  list  of  those  killed  in  battle  or  who  died  of  wounds 
or  disease  is  given.  The  author  has  spared  no  pains  to  make  it  as 
reliable  and  interesting  as  possible. 


s  aitb  Sjj^ofos  of  ^rmj  f lit. 


CHAPTER  I. 

0  STAR-SPANGLED  BANNER  !  the  Flag  of  our  pride  I 
Though  trampled  by  traitors  and  basely  defied^ 
Fling  out  to  the  glad  winds  your  Red,  White,  and  Blue, 
For  the  heart  of  the  Northland  is  beating  for  you  1 
And  her  strong  arm  is  nerving  to  strike  with  a  will, 
Till  the  foe  and  his  boastings  are  humbled  and  still  1 
Here's  welcome  to  wounding  and  combat  and  scars, 
And  the  glory  of  death — for  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars ! 

From  prairie,  0  plowman !  speed  boldly  away — 
There 's  seed  to  be  sown  in  God's  furrows  to-day ! 
Row  landward,  lone  fisher!  stout  woodman,  come  hornet 
Let  smith  leave  his  anvil,  and  weaver  his  loom, 
And  hamlet  and  city  ring  loud  with  the  cry, 
"For  God  and  our  country  we'll  fight  till  we  die! 
Here's  welcome  to  wounding  and  combat  and  scars, 
And  the  glory  of  death — for  the  Stripes  and  the  Stars ! " 

E.  D.  PROCTOR. 

INTRODUCTORY. 

IN  all  ages  of  the  world  the  military  hero  has  been 
applauded,  his  name  recorded  in  history,  and  his  deeds 
celebrated  in  song.  The  chisel  of  the  sculptor,  the 
pencil  of  the  painter,  the  harp  of  the  minstrel,  and 
the  pen  of  the  historian  have  vied  with  each  other 

(9) 


10  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

in  paying  honors  to  his  genius  and  in  eulogizing  his 
bravery.  While  the  more  prominent  or  more  fortu- 
nate of  those  who  have  hewed  with  their  swords  a 
pathway  to  fame  have  been  thus  immortalized  by  his- 
tory and  art,  the  humble  ballad  literature  of  various 
nations,  distinguished  more  for  its  chivalrous  spirit 
and  adaptation  to  the  necessities  of  a  rude  age,  than 
for  its  elegance  of  diction  or  literary  taste,  has  em- 
balmed, in  rustic  song  or  simple  melody,  the  memories 
of  less  noted,  but  no  less  honorable,  heroes  of  humbler 
name. 

Many  of  those  thus  honored,  however,  although 
brave  in  personal  daring,  and  great  in  military  genius, 
neither  drew  their  swords  in  defense  of  human  rights, 
nor  lived  nor  labored  for  the  benefit  of  their  fellow- 
men.  While  they  cut  their  way  to  a  niche  in  the 
temple  of  fame,  or  to  the  crown  and  scepter  of  impe- 
rial honor  and  power,  it  was  over  the  prostrate  forms 
of  those  whom  they  had  robbed  of  their  rights ;  and 
they  drove  their  chariot-wheels  over  the  mangled  bod- 
ies of  unnumbered  slain,  and  amid  the  smouldering 
ruins  of  peaceful  homes,  while  the  music  to  which 
they  kept  step  in  their  career  of  conquest  were  the 
groans  of  anguished  hearts,  and  the  agonizing  cries 
of  the  wounded  and  the  dying.  A  selfish  ambition — 
a  cruel,  devouring  lust  for  power  and  dominion — gov- 
erned them  in  all  the  plans  they  formed  and  in  all 
the  battles  they  fought;  and  they  considered  no  de- 
struction of  human  life  or  happiness  too  costly  a  sac-- 
rifice  to  make  in  order  to  secure  the  coveted  prize. 
Thus  they  lived  and  planned  and  fought,  not  to  bless, 
but  to  curse  mankind.  Around  their  names  and  deeds 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  11 

have  been  thrown  those  seductive  charms  which  un- 
hallowed Genius  so  frequently  creates,  and  with  which 
she  seeks  to  conceal  the  profligacy  and  tyranny  of 
wicked  men ;  but  Time  has  lifted  the  gorgeous  drapery, 
and  revealed  the  so-called  heroes  of  ancient  and  mod- 
ern times  in  all  their  moral  leprosy  and  deformity. 

But  there  have  been  true  heroes,  nevertheless. 
There  have  been  pure-Hearted  patriots,  who  have  toiled 
nobly  for  their  country — brave  defenders  of  human 
liberty,  who  have  bared  their  bosoms  to  the  tyrant's 
sword,  rather  than  permit  his  chains  to  be  placed  on 
their  own  or  their  children's  limbs — noble,  devoted 
adherents  of  righteousness  and  truth,  who,  with  the 
Bible  in  one  hand  and  the  sword  in  the  other,  have  at 
once  sought  to  maintain  inviolate  the  sacred  principles 
of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  and  to  strike  down,  if 
need  be,  the  assailants  of  either  the  one  or  the  other. 
True,  their  names  and  noble  deeds  have  not  always 
been  recorded  in  history,  or  celebrated  in  song.  Yea, 
rather,  many  of  the  bravest  and  best  of  such  heroes 
have  been  stigmatized  as  the  basest  of  men ;  their  mo- 
tives have  been  impugned,  and  their  noblest  deeds  de- 
nounced, while  their  memories  have  been  loaded  down 
with  reproach,  and  their  names  pronounced  with  scorn 
and  derision.  But  the  same  hand  that  has  torn  away 
the  gilded,  gaudy  drapery  with  which  kingly  tyrants 
and  imperial  robbers  have  been  invested,  has  also  re- 
moved the  stigma  and  reproach  that  the  foul  hand 
of  Wrong  had  sought  to  fasten  upon  the  memories  of 
the  truly  good  and  great;  and  to-day,  more  than  at 
any  previous  era  of  the  world's  history,  are  the  noble 
deeds,  the  patient  endurance,  the  spotless  integrity, 


12  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY   LIFE. 

and  the  deathless  devotion  to  principle  of  such  heroes 
better  understood  and  more  fully  appreciated.  The 
efforts  which  we,  as  a  people,  have  put  forth,  as  well 
as  the  sacrifices  we  have  made  in  order  to  subdue  a 
rebellion,  the  foulest  in  spirit  and  design  the  world 
has  ever  seen,  have  led  us  to  a  clearer  understanding 
and  appreciation  of  the  worth  of  the  world's  unhori- 
ored  heroes.  We  have  learned,  in  a  most  practical 
and  impressive  manner,  that  a  nation's  safety  or  the 
interests  of  humanity  rest  not  in  the  hands  of  a  fa- 
vored few,  whose  claims  for  superiority  are  constantly 
urged,  but  in  the  pure,  brave  hearts  and  strong  hands 
of  the  toiling  many. 

The  history  of  the  war  for  the  preservation  of  the 
Union  is  a  record  of  personal  bravery  and  self-sac- 
rificing devotion,  on  the  part  of  the  loyal  men  and 
women  of  the  nation,  to  which  history  furnishes  no 
parallel.  During  these  years  of  bloodshed  and  strife, 
our  cities  and  hamlets  and  rural  abodes — the  luxurious 
dwellings  of  the  city  merchants,  and  the  log-cabins  of 
our  frontier  farmers — have  sent  forth  as  heroic  men 
as  ever  drew  sword ;  and  they  have  furnished  as  illus- 
trious examples  of  womanly  tenderness,  affection,  and 
love,  blended  with  the  truly  heroic  in  self-sacrificing 
devotion  and  patient  endurance,  as  the  world  has  ever 
seen.  No  monumental  brass  or  marble  will  ever  re- 
ceive for  safe-keeping  the  names  of  all  the  heroes 
and  heroines  of  this  mighty  struggle  for  freedom  ; 
neither  will  the  historian's  stately  periods  nor  the 
poet's  touching  lyrics  hand  down  to  posterity  the 
records  of  their  noble  deeds,  or  the  requiems  sung 
over  their  honored  graves.  The  richly  carved,  storied 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  13 

urn  may  be  costly  and  beautiful,  but  it  will  be  broken 
in  pieces  and  buried  in  the  dust.  The  "ever-during 
brass  "  may  be  elaborately  finished,  and  the  names  of 
the  illustrious  dead  deeply  engraven  upon  it,  but  it 
•will  corrode  and  waste  away.  The  stately  monu- 
mental marble  may  be  solid  in  structure  and  imposing 
in  appearance,  but  it,  too,  will  crumble  and  decay. 
The  historian's  records  may  be  just,  and  the  poet's 
songs  may  be  sweet,  but  they  will  all  be  marred  by 
the  fingers  of  hoary  Time.  But  good  thoughts  and 
noble  deeds  never  die.  Like  their  authors,  they  are 
immortal.  They  go  marching  down  the  ages  with 
stately,  steady  tread,  elevating  and  ennobling  succes- 
sive generations,  and  moving  forward  the  shadows  on 
the  dial-plate  of  human  destiny,  long  after  the  bosoms 
that  gave  them  birth  are  buried  beneath  Oblivion's 
wave.  The  noblest  monument  that  will  ever  be  reared 
to  the  honor  of  our  heroes  in  the  field  and  our  heroines 
at  home,  who  have  acted  so  nobly  and  endured  so  pa- 
tiently, will  be  a  free,  happy,  redeemed  country ;  and 
the  sweetest  songs  that  will  be  sung  in  their  praise  will 
be  the  jubilee  anthems  of  earth's  disenthralled  sons 
and  daughters — anthems  which  will  yet  be  heard  on 
every  shore ;  for  every  nation  under  heaven  will  be 
brought  under  the  influence,  and  share  in  the  benefits 
of  the  present  struggle  for  Liberty,  Righteousness,  and 
Truth. 

The  simple  sketches  which  follow  will  show  the  reader 
how  some  of  our  noble  heroes  live,  and  they  will  also 
show  how  some  of  them  have  died  on  the  battlefield 
and  in  the  hospital. 


14  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   AKMY   LIFE. 


GOD  AND  OUR  COUNTRY. 

On  a  bright,  beautiful  Sabbath  in  April,  1861,  there 
met  in  the  Franklin  Street  Presbyterian  Church,  Troy, 
Ohio,  as  sad  and  yet  as  brave  and  hopeful  a  congrega- 
tion as  perhaps  ever  met,  or  ever  will  again  meet, 
within  those  walls.  Fathers  and  mothers,  wives  and 
children,  had  come  together  to  join  in  farewell  religious 
services  with  loved  ones  who  had  promptly  answered 
to  tneir  country's  call,  and  who,  on  the  morrow,  were 
to  depart  for  that  dark  field  of  strife  on  which  were 
marshaled  the  armed  legions  of  a  wicked  and  causeless 
rebellion.  The  Star-spangled  Banner  was  unfurled,  and 
hung  in  graceful  folds  from  the  pulpit ;  and  that  flag, 
always  beautiful  in  the  eyes  of  every  true  American, 
and  ever  dear  to  his  heart,  never  seemed  so  beautiful 
nor  so  precious  as  at  that  moment.  During  the  pre- 
vious night,  and  the  greater  part  of  this  sacred  day, 
the  rooms  attached  to  the  church  had  been  filled  with 
ladies,  busy  at  work  preparing  lint  and  bandages,  and 
other  articles  considered  necessary  for  the  soldier ;  and 
it  will  ever  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  strange  yet 
significant  facts  connected  with  the  history  of  this  war, 
that  the  click  of  busy  sewing-machines,  and  the  hum 
of  voices  that  tell  of  earnest  labor,  mingled  on  that 
hallowed  day  with  the  sacred  songs  of  the  sanctuary. 
The  electric  wires  had  flashed  the  news  all  over  the 
land  that  the  Star  of  the  West  had  been  fired  into, 
Fort  Sumter  bombarded,  and  the  national  flag  trailed 
in  the  dust  by  traitor  hands.  The  blood  of  Massa- 
chusetts' freemen  had  stained  the  streets  of  Balti- 
more, and  it  had  been  declared  by  rebel  mobs  and 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  15 

by  traitorous  legislators  that  troops  rushing  to  the  de- 
fense of  the  National  Capital  would  not  be  permitted 
to  tread  the  soil  of  Maryland.  The  whole  country  was 
excited.  Conflicting  emotions  swayed  the  public  mind. 
Some  were  in  fear  and  sadness,  and  could  only  ask, 
What  next?  Others  were  bitterly  indignant,  and  called 
only  for  speedy  and  condign  vengeance  on  the  heads 
of  traitors,  Avhile  all  the  truly  loyal  and  brave  breathed 
but  one  determination — that,  with  the  blessing  of  God, 
the  foul  rebellion  must  be  quelled,  and  the  Union  be 
preserved,  at  whatever  cost  of  treasure  and  blood. 

The  meeting  on  this  peaceful  Sabbath,  in  the  sanc- 
tuary of  God,  was  but  one  of  thousands  such  held  all 
over  the  land,  and  was  significant  as  showing  the  ele- 
ments of  religious  hope  and  trust  that,  from  the  com- 
mencement of  the  war,  have  entered  so  largely,  and 
marked  so  distinctly,  the  patriotism  of  the  loyal  North. 
Addresses  of  thrilling  earnestness  and  lofty  patriotism 
were  delivered  by  the  Rev.  W.  M.  Cheever,  of  the 
Franklin  Street  Presbyterian  Church,  the  Rev.  J.  J. 
Thompson,  of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  others,  after 
which  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament  was  presented  to 
each  volunteer,  in  the  name  of  the  Troy  Female  Bible 
Society.  As  the  sacred  volumes  were  being  distributed, 
and  words  of  cheer  spoken  to  each  recipient,  a  feel- 
ing of  deep  solemnity  pervaded  the  entire  assembly, 
and  the  language  of  every  one  seemed  to  be,  "  OUR 
TRUST  is  IN  GOD  ! "  The  entire  services  were  of  such 
a  deeply  interesting  character,  while  the  surrounding 
circumstances  were  so  thrillingly  impressive,  that  no 
one  could  possibly  be  an  indifferent  spectator.  That 
meeting  will  never  be  forgotten,  especially  by  those 


16  LIGHTS  AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

for  whose  special  comfort  and  encouragement  it  was 
held. 

The  volunteers  present  at  this  meeting  were  two 
companies  raised  by  Captain  A.  Coleman  and  Cap- 
tain J.  C.  Drury,  subsequently  known  as  Companies 
D  and  H  of  the  Eleventh  Regiment  Ohio  Volunteer 
Infantry.  Little  did  the  writer  of  these  pages  think,  as 
he  gazed  upon  those  brave,  patriotic  men,  and  joined 
with  others  in  speaking  words  of  cheer  to  them,  that 
in  a  few  short  months  he  would  be  with  them  on  the 
tented  field,  and  sharing  with  them  their  perils  and 
privations.  Still  less  did  he  think  that  three  years 
and  three  months  would  roll  round  ere  they  would 
return  to  their  homes ;  and  that,  even  then,  war's  fierce 
tumults  would  still  be  raging  in  the  land,  and  the 
wicked  pro-slavery  rebellion  still  be  showing  its  de- 
fiant front.  But,  so  it  is.  In  peace  as  well  as  in 
war — with  nations  as  well  as  with  individuals — we 
know  not  what  the  future  may  develop;  neither  can 
we  tell  what  strange  positions  we  may  occupy,  nor  by 
what  unexpected  and  unwonted  circumstances  we  may 
be  surrounded. 

I  have  mentioned  this  little  incident  as  a  fitting  in- 
troduction to  the  pen-pictures  of  the  following  pages, 
thinking  that  no  apology  is  needed  for  bringing  be- 
fore the  reader  the  fact  that  the  noble  Eleventh  Ohio, 
as  well  as  other  regiments,  went  forth  to  fight  for 
home  and  country,  for  liberty  and  truth,  with  the 
dearest  and  holiest  remembrances  and  associations  of 
the  sanctuary  of  God,  and  with  the  prayers  and  bless- 
ings of  Christian  patriots. 

A  few  months  rolled  past.     The  three-months'  serv- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LITE.  17 

ice  had  been  finished,  the  regiment  reorganized  and 
mustered  in  for  three  years.  The  first  Kanawha  cam- 
paign had  been  accomplished,  and  Floyd  and  Wise 
driven  from  the  Valley,  and  the  Eleventh  had  come 
down  the  Kanawha  River  to  Point  Pleasant,  and  were 
in  winter  quarters,  when  the  author  of  these  pages 
was  surprised  by  the  announcement  that  he  had  been 
appointed  chaplain  of  the  regiment.  A  week  or  so 
thereafter  found  him,  for  the  first  time,  on  the  sacred 
soil — or,  rather,  in  the  sacred  mud — of  Virginia,  and, 
for  the  first  time,  within  the  army  lines. 

After  reporting  for  duty,  the  first  official  work  I 
performed  was  visiting  the  hospital.  The  immediate 
result  of  the  first  visit  was  the  entire  change  of  pre- 
conceived opinions  relative  to  military  hospitals  in 
general,  and  of  regimental  hospitals  in  particular.  I 
had  pictured  to  myself  dreary,  hopeless,  repulsive 
scenes,  such  as  I  had  read  of  in  the  published  corre- 
spondence from  the  French  and  English  armies  in  the 
Crimea,  and  imagined  that,  even  at  the  very  best,  our 
sick  and  wounded  soldiers  must  necessarily  be  partially 
neglected,  and  their  wants  unsupplied.  War,  too,  it 
had  been  stated,  had  an  indurating  effect  on  the  human 
heart,  and  that  the  camp  was  only  a  school  of  vice  and 
immorality,  and  that,  therefore,  an  indifference  to  the 
Bufferings  and  necessities  of  others  would  be  the  in- 
evitable result  of  such  influences  as  surround  the  sol- 
dier. But  although  not  adopting  the  whole  of  such 
gloomy  views  of  army  life  and  experiences,  I  was  not 
prepared  for  a  scene  so  entirely  the  reverse  of  what 
I  had  anticipated.  Every  ward  in  the  hospital  was 
scrupulously  clean,  every  cot  was  neatly  arranged,  the 
2 


18  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LITE. 

patients  looked  quite  comfortable  and  cheerful,  and  I 
noticed  that  the  hospital  attendants  were  kind  and  at- 
tentive. Dr.  Hartman,  as  brave  and  generous  a  man 
as  ever  entered  a  hospital,  and  who,  during  the  three 
years  he  was  in  the  army,  did  more  for  the  comfort  of 
the  soldier  than  many  surgeons  in  shoulder-straps,  and 
that,  too,  while  drawing  only  the  pay  of  a  private  sol- 
dier, was  acting  as  warden. 

Although  the  exigencies  and  necessities  of  several 
active  campaigns  have  shown  me  some  hospital  scenes 
very  different  from  this,  I  have  never  had  occasion  to 
change  the  opinions  then  formed  of  the  general  man- 
ner in  which  our  brave  soldiers  were  cared  for  when 
sick  or  wounded.  That  blessed  institution,  the  Chris- 
tian Commission,  with  its  noble  band  of  laborers,  and 
its  generous  supplies  of  good  things  for  soul  and  body, 
was  not  then  in  existence.  The  Sanitary  Commission, 
too,  was  but  in  its  infancy,  and  Government  supplies 
alone  were  depended  upon  in  attending  to  the  wants 
of  our  sick  and  wounded  soldiers.  If  at  that  time,  and 
under  such  circumstances,  they  were  comparatively  so 
comfortable,  any  one  can  form  an  idea  of  their  im- 
proved condition  under  the  auspices  of  these  twin  in- 
stitutions of  patriotism  and  Christian  beneficence.  If 
the  writer  had  a  hundred  voices,  he  would  employ  them 
in  urging  upon  the  attention  and  fostering  care  of 
every  man  and  woman  in  the  land  the  claims  of  the 
Christian  Commission,  knowing,  as  he  does,  from  ex- 
perience in  the  field  and  in  the  hospital,  how  much 
good  it  has  accomplished  and  is  still  accomplishing  in 
the  army. 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS  OF  ARMY  LIFE.         19 

FIRST  IMPRESSIONS. 

The  sight  of  a  large  multitude  is  always  interesting 
and  impressive.  This  is  true,  whether  in  civil  or  mili- 
tary life.  The  spectator,  however,  is  often  swayed  by 
very  different  and  even  conflicting  emotions;  for  the 
opinions  he  may  form  concerning  such  a  spectacle,  as 
well  as  the  impulses  or  feelings  it  may  awaken  in  his 
heart,  will  be  in  accordance  with  the  views  he  enter- 
tains, exalted  or  otherwise,  concerning  human  duty  and 
destiny.  The  motives  by  which  he  is  actuated  in  min- 
gling with  his  fellow-men,  and  especially  with  those 
who  are  brought  into  close  and  important  relationships, 
will  also  have  a  decided  influence  upon  his  opinions  of 
their  individual  or  aggregate  value,  as  well  as  upon  the 
manner  in  which  he  acts  toward  them. 

The  politician,  for  example,  looks  upon  them  as  so 
many  of  "  The  People,"  who  must  be  reasoned  with, 
cajoled,  hoodwinked,  flattered,  or  bullied  into  some  po- 
litical scheme.  The  political  economist  looks  upon 
them  as  so  many  consumers  as  well  as  producers  of 
the  necessaries  of  life,  and  who  will  increase  or  dimin- 
ish the  resources  of  government  according  to  their  in- 
dividual and  aggregate  intelligence  and  industry.  The 
patient  plodder  in  dry,  matter-of-fact  statistics  looks 
upon  them  as  so  many  breathing  numerals,  increasing 
in  a  certain  ratio  not  very  clearly  defined,  and  which 
are  to  be  considered  valuable  only  as  supporting  some 
scientific  theories.  He  delights  not  so  much  in  the  in- 
dividual or  aggregate  value  of  the  living  numerals  as 
their  dumb  representatives  on  the  census  returns;  for 
he  can  exultantly  refer  to  the  figures  on  the  tables  in 


20  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

support  of  his  theories,  for  figures,  like  facts,  are 
stubborn  things,  and  will  not  lie.  The  man  of  busy 
wheels,  spindles,  looms,  cranks,  and  levers,  looks  upon 
them  as  so  many  living  "hands"  with  brains  to  think, 
and  whose  principal  responsibilities  during  one-half  of 
their  time  is  to  work  with  or  control  the  movements 
of  brainless  hands  of  brass  and  steel.  The  profes- 
sional warrior,  like  an  Alexander  or  a  Napoleon,  looks 
upon  a  multitude  of  men  as  so  many  individual  forces 
which  may  be  combined — so  many  nerves  and  muscles 
that  may  be  equipped,  drilled,  and  disciplined,  and 
whom,  for  his  own  glory,  he  will  lead  forth  and  dash 
upon  similar  battalions  of  living,  thinking  beings,  or 
hurl  in  impetuous  storms  upon  yawning  embrasure  or 
bristling  earth-work.  The  Christian,  on  the  other  hand, 
not  forgetful  of  man's  earthly  relations,  duties  or  ne- 
cessities, but  with  feelings  of  deep  interest  and  Christ- 
like  love,  looks  upon  them  as  so  many  precious  immor- 
tals, for  whom  the  Savior  suffered  and  died,  and  who 
have  to  work  out  the  great  problem  of  human  duty 
and  destiny.  He  looks  upon  them  as  heirs  of  im- 
mortality, who  will  never  scale  the  hights  or  fathom 
the  depths  of  their  own  spiritual  capacities,  nor  reach 
the  boundary  line  of  their  own  existence ;  as  so  many 
individuals,  around  each  of  whom  are  clustering  re- 
sponsibilities and  duties,  sympathies  and  emotions,  that 
will  seal  and  settle  forever  the  destiny  of  each,  and 
raise  to  the  high  position  and  glorious  enjoyment  of 
heaven,  or  sink  to  the  dishonor  and  despair  of  hell. 

On  many  occasions,  I  have  seen  immense  armies, 
either  in  camp,  where  the  white  tents,  gleaming  in  the 
summer's  sun,  looked  like  a  dream  of  fairy-land,  or 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  21 

on  the  march,  when  it  seemed  as  if  a  nation  were  on 
a  pilgrimage.  And  I  have  seen  the  same  armies  as 
they  rushed  on  to  battle,  when  the  ground  shook  with 
the  tramp  of  armed  men,  the  roar  of  cannon,  and  the 
sharp  rattle  of  musketry,  and  when  it  seemed  as  if 
the  very  heavens  were  filled  with  shrieking  demons  of 
death  and  destruction, _in  the  shape  of  shot  and  shell. 
And,  whether  reposing  quietly  in  camp,  on  the  weary 
march,  or  amid  the  perils  and  excitements  of  battle, 
I  always  experienced  solemn  and  even  sad  emotions 
when  contemplating  such  masses  of  men.  Not  that  I 
ever  had  a  doubt  in  regard  to  the  righteousness  of  the 
cause  in  which  we  were  engaged — not  that  I  enter- 
tained any  fear  regarding  the  final  result  of  the  strug- 
gle— but  because  of  the  all-important  questions  per- 
taining to  the  eternal  interests  of  each  individual  soul. 
There  is  something  fearfully  solemn  connected  with 
such  questions  when  applied  to  one  human  being ;  but 
when  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  of  deathless 
spirits  are  placed  before  us,  and  we  try  to  grasp  as  it 
were  the  infinite  aggregate  of  hope  and  fear,  pleasure 
and  pain,  glory  and  despair,  life  and  death,  undying 
energies,  immortal  appetites  and  capacities,  and  unsat- 
isfied longings,  we  sink  beneath  the  rushing  tide-wave 
of  our  own  aroused  emotions,  and  can  only  exclaim, 
"  Who  is  sufficient  for  these  things  ! " 

Add  to  all  these  the  peculiar  circumstances  con- 
nected with  army  life,  and  it  will  soon  be  apparent 
that  the  responsibility  attaching  to  those  who  go  forth 
to  labor  for  the  moral  and  spiritual  welfare  of  the  sol- 
dier are  of  the  most  solemn  and  important  character. 
It  is  no  trifling  matter  to  preach  Christ  and  salvation 


22  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

anywhere,  and  under  any  circumstances ;  but  to  do  so 
in  the  army,  among  those  who  are  not  only  away  from 
the  temporal  comforts  and  the  social  and  religious 
privileges  of  home,  and  who  are  always  exposed  to 
danger  and  death,  the  sacred  responsibilities  connected 
with  such  work  are  seen  to  be  vastly  increased. 
These,  and  other  matters  that  might  be  named,  are 
what  make  a  chaplain's  position  at  once  honorable 
and  responsible.  It  is  but  anticipating  what  may  be 
referred  to  in  the  following  pages  to  state,  that  on  ad- 
dressing the  regiment,  for  the  first  time,  as  it  was 
drawn  up  in  line,  I  felt  that  if  the  Grace  of  God,  the 
Wisdom  that  cometh  down  from  above,  were  needed  for 
weak  man  to  guide  him  in  efforts  to  do  good,  especially 
among  those  who  had  nobly  laid  their  all  upon  their 
country's  altar,  that  was  the  hour,  and  those  were  the 
circumstances  when  such  was  specially  needed. 

As  an  evidence  of  the  kind  interest  felt  in  the  spirit- 
ual welfare  of  the  soldiers  in  the  field,  as  well  as  a 
record  of  the  encouragement  given  to  laborers  in  the 
army,  the  following  incident  is  recorded. 

A  large  meeting  of  the  Sabbath-school  children  and 
their  friends  was  held  in  Troy,  to  participate  with  the 
Band  of  Hope,  in  a  Bible  presentation.  Mrs.  Lizzie 
James,  in  behalf  of  the  children,  presented  a  beautiful 
Bible,  on  which  was  a  suitable  inscription.  The  fol- 
lowing was  the  address  she  made  on  the  occasion : 

"  No  fact  more  strongly  marks  the  fearful  war  which  is  now 
upon  us  than  the  unity  of  purpose  on  the  part  of  our  soldiers 
in  the  field,  and  of  friends  at  home.  Very  many  and  varied 
are  the  good  things  prepared  by  loving  hands  at  home,  for  the 
comfort  of  dear  ones  far  away  in  the  camp,  or  in  the  field,  and 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  23 

we  all  take  an  interest  in  the  good  work  which  our  mothers 
and  sisters  are  engaged  in,  for  the  benefit  of  our  dear  fathers 
and  brothers  in  the  army.  In  token  of  our  love  for  the  sol- 
dier, the  Band  of  Hope  have  directed  me,  to-day,  to  present 
their  offering  for  the  noble  Eleventh  Regiment  Though  onr 
offering  is  of  but  little  pecuniary  value,  yet  it  is  a  priceless 
treasure — the  richest  ever  presented  to  man.  We  rejoice  to 
know  that  many  of  the  Eleventh  Regiment  are  Christians; 
and  we  feel  assured,  therefore,  of  the  appropriateness  of  our 
offering. 

"  Chaplain  Lyle,  in  placing  this  volume  in  your  hands,  we 
are  more  than  glad  that  you  are  chaplain  of  our  own  Elev- 
enth. Take  this  Blessed  Volume — this  Chart  of  Life — and  pre- 
sent from  it  to  your  soldier  Christians  things  both  new  and 
old.  May  its  lessons,  as  you  shall  dispense  them,  from  time 
to  time,  comfort  and  sustain  the  tried  and  tempted,  encourage 
the  penitent,  awaken  the  careless;  and,  with  the  attendant 
blessing  of  the  Divine  Spirit,  may  every  member  of  your  regi- 
ment be  presented  perfect  in  Christ  Jesus.  Our  most  fervent 
prayers  shall  rise  before  God  that  your  ministrations  may  be 
abundantly  blessed — that  the  dying  soldier  taught  therefrom, 
whether  breathing  out  his  life  in  the  hospital  or  on  the  battle- 
field, may  triumphantly  say:  'But  thanks  be  to  God,  who 
giveth  the  victory  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  1 '  and,  at 
last,  greet  you,  their  chaplain,  where  men  learn  war  no  more. 
Take  this  BOOK,  this  Word  of  the  Lord,  and  bear  it  to  your 
gallant  men  from  the  Troy  Band  of  Hope." 


CHAPTER  n. 

SLAVERY  AND  THE  REBELLION A  SOLDIER'S  OPINION  OF  THE  ISSUE 

ORGANIZATION  OF  A  REGIMENTAL  CHURCH,   ETC. 

What  gives  the  wheat  field  blades  of  steel? 

What  points  the  rebel  cannon? 
What  sets  the  roaring  rabble's  heel 
On  the  old  star-spangled  pennon? 
What  breaks  the  oath  of  the  men  of  the  South? 
What  whets  the  knife  for  the  Union's  life? 

Hark  to  the  answer — Slavery !  WHITTIER. 

IT  is  a  well-known  fact  that,  when  the  rebellion  first 
threatened  the  overthrow  of  the  country,  and  it  was 
distinctly  affirmed  by  rebel  leaders  that  slavery  was  to 
be  the  corner-stone  of  the  Southern  Confederacy,  and, 
indeed,  was  the  prime  moving  cause  of  the  foul  con- 
spiracy, the  masses  of  the  loyal  people  were  slow  to 
believe  that  the  institution  of  slavery  was,  in  any  im- 
portant respect,  connected  with  the  rebellion.  They 
were  equally  oblivious  to  the  fact  that  to  deal  death- 
blows upon  the  one,  was  to  insure  the  destruction  of 
the  other.  And  so  very  anxious  were  many  of  the  po- 
litical and  military  leaders  to  convince  slaveholding 
rebels  that  the  Government  had  no  intention  of  inter- 
fering with  the  institution  of  slavery,  that  declara- 
tions were  made,  officially  and  otherwise,  that  any  such 
interference  would  not  be  tolerated;  and  that,  in  the 
(24) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  25 

event  of  any  uprising  of  the  slaves  against  their  mas- 
ters, the  whole  strength  of  the  Federal  army  would 
be  brought  to  bear  upon  such  demonstrations  so  as 
to  crush  them;  and  further,  that  fugitive  slaves  from 
the  rebel  lines  would  invariably  be  sent  back.  In 
strict  accordance  with  such  a  policy,  books  or  tracts 
sent  to  the  soldiers  b^  private  parties,  or  by  public 
societies,  known  as  reformatory,  were  carefully  ex- 
amined, lest  any  anti-slavery  sentiments  should  be 
propagated  in  the  army,  and  sectional  feelings  or 
issues  introduced  into  military  circles.  Many  chap- 
lains, in  their  religious  exercises,  carefully  ignored 
the  existence  of  the  agitating  subject,  or  gave  it  a 
wide  berth,  when  they  accidentally  drifted  in  that 
direction  ;  while  every  conceivable  plan  was  adopted 
to  cool  down  the  Southern  heart,  which  had  been  so 
frequently  and  so  terribly  u  fired  up."  As  an  evidence 
of  the  extent  to  which  this  spirit  prevailed  at  the 
commencement  of  the  war,  it  may  just  be  stated  that 
when  the  American  Reform  Tract  and  Book  Society 
of  Cincinnati  sent  packages  of  reading  matter  into 
the  army,  addressing  them  to  the  care  of  regimental 
chaplains,  some  of  them  thought  that  they  had  been 
grossly  insulted,  and  their  respectability  and  good 
standing  in  the  army  greatly  endangered  by  such 
high-handed  impertinence.  One  chaplain  we  heard 
of,  culled  out  all  the  tracts  that  contained  the  slight- 
est symptoms  of  Abolitionism,  and  deliberately  burned 
them ;  and  another,  after  asking  the  advice  of  his  col- 
onel, a  godless  pro-slavery  scoffer,  disposed  of  hi3 
packages  in  a  somewhat  similar  manner.  Others  of 
these  clerical  compromisers  were  careful  to  procure 
3 


26  LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

tracts  and  papers  from  the  American  Tract  Society 
alone.  In  doing  so,  there  was  not  the  slightest  dan- 
ger of  meeting  with  any  sentiment  likely  to  disturb 
the  most  sensitive  of  pro-slavery  consciences;  for,  at 
that  time,  any  reference  to  the  "  sum  of  all  villainies," 
by  way  of  condemnation,  would  not  have  received 
the  "approbation  of  all  evangelical  Christians;"  and 
hence,  any  such  references  were  carefully  excluded. 
It  is,  perhaps,  but  just  to  say,  in  this  connection,  that 
in  this  year  of  grace,  Eighteen  hundred  and  sixty-five, 
after  the  lessons  taught  by  four  years  of  relentless 
effort  on  the  part  of  slaveholding  traitors  to  over- 
throw the  institutions  of  liberty  in  our  beloved  coun- 
try, and  to  roll  back  the  advancing  tide-wave  of  lib- 
erty throughout  the  world,  the  position  of  the  Tract 
Society  at  New  York  has  been  considerably  modified. 
When  the  last  link  of  Oppression's  chain  is  broken, 
however,  and  the  nation  is  redeemed  and  purified  from 
the  vile  sin  of  slavery,  and  the  dear  old  flag  floats  in 
the  breeze  from  the  granite  hills  of  New  England  to 
the  gold-veined  mountains  of  California,  and  from  the 
dark  pine-woods  of  the  icy  North  to  the  cypress 
swamps  and  cotton-fields  of  the  sunny  South,  and  the 
dark,  thrice-accursed  fiend  of  slavery  is  forever  driven 
from  the  earth,  the  claims  of  this  mammoth  publishing 
enterprise,  for  occupying  an  advanced  position  on  the 
great  question  of  human  rights,  and  as  having  given 
the  Gospel-trumpet  no  uncertain  sound  in  the  darkest 
hour  of  great  moral  conflicts,  will  neither  be  great  in 
themselves,  nor  reflect  honor  upon  those  who  urge 
them. 

It  is  not  to  be  supposed,  however,  that  there  were 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  27 

none  in  the  army  who  could  look  beneath  the  surface 
of  things  and  recognize,  at  once,  the  deeply-laid  plans 
of  wicked  men  and  the  rapidly-unfolding  purposes  of 
a  righteous  God.  In  the  quarters  of  the  men,  at  the 
picket-posts,  in  the  hospital,  on  the  march,  anywhere 
and  everywhere,  the  question  of  slavery,  as  affecting 
the  interests  of  the  country,  and  as  having  an  im- 
portant bearing  upon  the  conduct  and  issues  of  the 
war,  was  freely  and  frequently  discussed.  One  day, 
while  visiting  the  hospital,  one  of  the  sick  men  called 
iny  attention  to  one  of  the  tracts  which  I  had  distrib- 
uted a  few  days  before. 

"  Look  here,  chaplain,"  said  he  ;  "  here 's  a  tract 
that's  chuck-full  of  good  common  sense.  Don't  pre- 
tend nohow  to  profess  much  religion,  and  do  n't  care 
much  about  dry,  sermon-like  tracts ;  but  this  one  is 
none  of  your  milk-and-water,  tweedle-dee  tweedle-dum 
affairs,  that  gives  a  poor  sinner  some  scorching  re- 
proofs for  taking  a  chew  of  tobacco,  or  shaking  his 
foot  in-ajiall-room,  or  ripping  out  some  bad  gram- 
mar— swear  myself  sometimes,  chaplain — fact — bad 
habit  though  ! — or  finding  fault  with  things  that  nearly 
every  body  condemns.  There,"  said  he,  Avith  emphasis, 
holding  up  the  tract  in  question,  which  was :  "  What 
are  we  fighting  for  ? "  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Thome,  of  Cleve- 
land— "that's  the  kind  of  reading  the  army  needs. 
There  's  truth  in  that,  I  tell  you — and  we  have  all  got 
to  come  to  it  before  the  war  is  ended;  and  the  sooner 
the  better.  No  use  dodging  any  longer.  Better  face 
the  music  at  once.  Just  read  that  page  there,  chap- 
lain— it 's  true  as  preaching,  an'  a  mighty  sight  truer 
than  some  preaching  is,  too." 


28  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

The  sentiments  which  were  enunciated  by  the  tract 
in  question,  and  which  elicited  from  the  sick  soldier 
such  hearty  commendation,  were  the  following : 

"Slavery  curses  the  South,  the  North,  the  whole 
country.  It  has,  at  last,  embroiled  the  nation  in  a 
destructive  civil  war.  It  has  set  brethren  in  deadly 
combat  with  brethren.  Already  fraternal  blood  haa 
flowed,  which  never  would  have  been  shed  but  for 
slavery.  Alas,  more  blood  must  be  spilled,  hundreds 
and  thousands  of  victims  must  be  sacrificed  in  this 
terrible  fight  between  brothers  I  Slavery  is  responsi- 
ble for  this,  and  the  blood-stained  monster  must  die. 
It  can  not  be  suffered  to  live  longer  in  this  Republic, 
to  foment  another  such  war !  We  fight  in  vain,  un- 
less we  aim  at  the  extermination  of  slavery.  . 

"We  fight  for  the  Flag  as  the  symbol  of  Liberty 
and  Union,  and  as  the  aegis  of  our  citizenship  through- 
out the  Republic,  whether  in  Boston  or  in  Charleston, 
in  Bangor  or  in  Mobile.  We  remember  that  the  flag 
was  not  for  the  first  time  struck  down  at  Fort  Sum- 
ter,  was  not  for  the  first  time  outraged  by  the  firing 
on  the  Star  of  the  West,  was  not  for  the  first  time 
set  at  naught  by  the  Ordinance  of  Secession  passed 
by  the  Palmetto  State.  These  were,  by  no  means,  the 
first  acts  of  flagrant  aggression  upon  our  country's 
flag,  and  upon  the  sacred  rights  its  folds  shelter.  For 
years  it  has  afforded  no  protection  to  American  citi- 
zens in  one-half  of  the  Republic.  For  years  it  has 
yielded  no  security  to  free  speech,  no  guaranty  to  the 
rights  of  conscience,  no  safeguard  to  the  irrepressible 
yearnings  of  humanity  where  these  have  been  most 
called  for.  For  years,  beneath  its  witnessing  stars, 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  29 

innocent  beings  have  been  chained,  scourged,  driven, 
sold,  and  worked  like  dumb  cattle  !  For  years,  its 
stripes  have  blazed  over  slave  marts,  slave  pens,  and 
slave  auctions,  from  Washington  City  to  New  Orleans. 
Since  this  flag  has  waved  at  all,  it  has  waved 

O'er  the  land  of  the  free, 
And  the  home — of  the  SLAVE  I 

"  These  are  the  desecrations  that  have  covered  our 
Star-spangled  Banner  with  infamy  in  the  sight  of 
Christendom,  before  secession  dared  to  insult  it ;  and 
these  are  the  grievances  which  ought  to  have  aroused 
the  fires  of  patriotism,  and  driven  us  to  some  form  of 
united  resistance  long  ago.  These  are  the  outrages 
which,  so  oft  repeated  and  so  tamely  suffered,  have  left 
little  for  secession  to  do  to  our  flag  that  has  not  al- 
ready been  done  by  slavery.  To  avenge  all  these  vio- 
lations, therefore,  and  to  raise  the  flag  of  freedom 
to  its  rightful  place  of  undisturbed  supremacy,  is  the 
aim  of  this  war.  If  the  flag  of  freedom  goes  up, 
that  of  slavery  must  come  down.  We  can  no  longer 
tolerate  two  flags  in  this  Commonwealth.  We  can 
allow  no  further  compromise  between  liberty  and  chat- 
telism.  We  can  no  longer  assent  that  a  certain  line 
of  latitude  shall  divide  this  Republic  into  free  and 
slave  sections.  No  !  No !  The  flag  we  fight  for  will 
frown  upon  the  soldier  who,  under  its  folds,  swears 
fealty  to  slavery." 

As  already  remarked,  the  question  of  slavery,  in 
connection  with  the  rebellion,  was  now  being  freely 
discussed;  and  events,  taking  place  almost  every  day, 
both  in  military  and  civil  circles,  were  tending  more 


30  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   AKMY   LIFE. 

and  more  to  increase  the  interest  and  importance  of 
the  discussion.  General  Fremont's  memorable  order 
regarding  the  slaves  of  rebels  in  arms,  declaring  them 
free,  had  electrified  the  people  at  home,  as  well  as  the 
masses  of  the  soldiers  in  the  field.  The  President 
had  thought  proper  to  interfere  with  General  Fremont 
in  his  somewhat  radical,  but  really  the  only  wise  and 
practical  method  of  dealing  with  slaveholding  rebels, 
and  so  neutralized  the  celebrated  general  order  as  to 
render  it  practically  null  and  void.  This  interference 
of  the  Executive,  perhaps,  more  than  any  other  cir- 
cumstance, tended,  at  this  time,  to  attract  attention 
to  the  great  question  which,  sooner  or  later,  must  be 
settled ;  namely,  the  policy  to  be  pursued  in  dealing 
with  the  slaves  of  rebels  in  arms,  and,  indeed,  with 
slavery  itself,  under  any  and  all  circumstances.  Then 
Fremont's  removal  from  the  Department  of  the  West, 
with  all  the  accompanying  circumstances,  only  tended 
to  increase,  both  in  political  and  military  circles,  the 
interest  already  felt  in  this  subject.  As  if  to  show, 
however,  that  the  entire  question  would,  erelong,  meet 
with  a  practical  solution — that  there  was  no  design 
on  the  part  of  the  Government  to  evade  the  responsi- 
bility of  dealing  with  it  in  such  a  manner  as  to  satisfy 
the  more  timid  and  conservative,  if  not  the  more  cour- 
ageous and  radical — the  President,  on  the  6th  of 
March,  sent  the  celebrated  special  message  to  both 
houses  of  Congress,  recommending  such  legislative 
action  as  would  secure  compensation  to  those  who 
should  emancipate  their  slaves — a  message  which,  to 
use  a  phrase  which  frequently  occurs  in  it,  might  be 
well-named  as  the  Initiatory  Proclamation  of  Eman- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  31 

cipation.  This  was  soon  followed  by  a  general  order, 
published  throughout  the  entire  army,  as  follows: 

"  All  officers  and  persons  in  the  military  or  naval 
service  of  the  United  States  are  prohibited  from  em- 
ploying any  of  the  forces  under  their  respective  com- 
mands, for  the  purpose  of  returning  fugitives  from 
service  or  labor  who  may  have  escaped  from  any  per- 
sons to  whom  such  service  or  labor  is  claimed  to  be 
due,  and  any  officer  who  shall  be  found  guilty,  by  a 
court-martial,  of  violating  this  article  of  war,  shall 
be  dismissed  from  the  service." 

Whether  the  men  of  the  Eleventh  were  pleased 
with  the  President's  message,  and  the  general  order 
referred  to,  may  be  inferred  from  the  fact  that  a 
whipping-post  which  stood  near  the  court-house,  where 
Company  B  was  quartered,  was  very  speedily  demol- 
ished; and  on  the  question  being  asked  of  a  group 
standing,  one  day,  where  the  post  once  stood,  what 
they  would  do  were  a  slaveholder  to  tie  up  a  slave  in 
their  presence,  they  promptly  answered:  "Do!  Why 
we  would  give  him  such  a  dose  of  blue  pills  he  would  n't 
know  what  hurt  him!"  These  matters  are  referred 
to,  at  this  point,  in  order  to  show  what  were  the  feel- 
ings in  the  army  upon  the  questions  involved.  Many 
a  loyal  heart  beat  joyfully  on  that  day,  when  it  was 
known  that  henceforth  liberty,  in  the  full  and  true 
sense  of  that  blessed  term,  would  no  longer  be  ignored 
either  in  the  cabinet  or  in  the  camp.  It  was  seen 
that  the  issue  was  about  to  be  met  fairly  and  squarely, 
and  every  true  patriot  felt  that  God  would  bless  the 
right. 


32  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 


ORGANIZATION  OF  A  REGIMENTAL  CHURCH. 
Quite  a  number  of  those  composing  the  Eleventh 
Regiment  were  professors  of  religion,  and  there  were 
not  a  few  who  were  anxious  to  keep  up  some  visible 
bond  of  union,  so  that  not  only  might  there  be  mutual 
aid  and  encouragement  in  leading  a  religious  life  while 
in  the  army,  but  that  direct  efforts  might  be  made  to 
promote  the  interests  of  morality  and  religion  in  the 
regiment.  In  union  there  is  strength.  This  is  felt  in 
religious  as  well  as  in  other  matters;  hence  the  crav- 
ing of  the  believing  soul  for  Christian  fellowship  and 
communion.  A  few  of  the  more  spiritual  and  devoted 
of  the  men  had  arranged  to  hold  two  prayer-meetings 
during  each  week,  and  for  this  purpose  had  engaged 
a  small  room  belonging  to  one  of  the  citizens  of  the 
town.  The  first  of  these  meetings  I  attended  a  day 
or  two  after  joining  the  regiment;  and  such  were  the 
peculiarly  interesting  character  of  the  services,  to- 
gether with  all  the  accompanying  circumstances,  that 
it  will  never  be  forgotten.  There  was  an  entire  ab- 
sence of  form  or  ceremony,  and,  seemingly,  there  was 
no  room  for  any  tiling  like  the  old  stereotyped  pray- 
ers or  addresses  which  obtain  so  largely  in  more 
formal  and,  perhaps,  more  fashionable  religious  meet- 
ings. There  were  but  few  at  that  meeting — not  more 
than  a  dozen,  perhaps — but  each  countenance  is  as 
plain  before  me  now  while  I  write  these  lines  as  if  the 
meeting  had  been  but  last  night;  and  there  were 
impressions  made  upon  the  minds  of  all  present  that 
will  never  be  forgotten.  It  was  nothing  more  than  an 
humble  prayer-meeting,  held  by  Christian  soldiers  far 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  33 

from  homej  and  deprived  of  the  privileges  of  the  sanc- 
tuary ;  but  it  was  one  of  those  precious  seasons  when 
the  souls  of  believers  rise  superior  to  outward  circum- 
stances, and  have  fellowship  with  the  unseen  and 
eternal.  One  after  another  of  those  present  engaged 
in  supplicating  the  Throne  of  Grace,  or  spoke  of  the 
felt  preciousness  of  the  love  of  God  in  the  soul;  and 
so  full  of  joy  and  comfort  and  gratitude  seemed  each 
one,  that  as  soon  as  one  stopped  praying  or  speaking, 
another  commenced!  These  were  men  who  had  en- 
dured incredible  hardships  during  the  previous  summer 
and  winter ;  had  laid  out  in  the  open  field  or  in  the 
woods  for  sixty  bleak,  cold  days  and  nights,  without 
tents  and  with  few  blankets ;  had  been  fighting  or 
marching,  scouting  or  standing  guard,  day  after  day, 
and  night  after  night,  subsisting  on  a  few  hard  crack- 
ers and  a  drink  of  muddy  water !  These  were  men 
around  whose  heads  musket-balls  had  whistled  like 
driving  hail,  and  against  whose  bosoms  had  been  pointed 
the  glittering  steel !  The  Lord  had  covered  their  heads 
in  the  day  of  battle,  and  His  presence  had  cheered 
their  hearts  in  the  hour  of  suifering.  For  these  they 
thanked  Him  as  they  knelt  in  prayer ;  and  to  the  power 
of  religion  to  comfort  the  heart  they  testified,  as  each 
arose  to  tell  what  the  Lord  had  done  for  him.  0, 
how  true  it  is,  that  living,  experimental  religion — the 
love  of  God  in  the  soul — is  man's  most  precious  treas- 
ure, at  all  times  and  under  all  circumstances  !  In  the 
bright  day  of  prosperity,  when  all  is  happy  and  cheer- 
ful, or  in  the  dark  day  of  adversity,  when  all  is  dreary 
and  discouraging,  religion  is  found  to  be  the  pearl  of 
great  price.  In  health  or  in  sickness,  among  friends 


34  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

or  enemies,  at  home  or  abroad,  in  life  or  in  death,  it 
is  the  same  precious,  priceless  treasure  of  the  soul. 
And  amid  all  the  changing  scenes  of  life,  the  Christian 
can  say,  "  I  am  persuaded  that  neither  death,  nor  life, 
nor  angels,  nor  principalities,  nor  powers,  nor  things 
present,  nor  things  to  come,  nor  hight,  nor  depth,  nor 
any  other  creature,  shall  be  able  to  separate  us  from 
the  love  of  God  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Lord." 
Blessed  religion !  Who  would  not  gladly  suffer  all 
things,  to  realize  the  fullness  of  comfort,  hope,  and 
joy  which  these  words  of  Christian  triumph  express ! 

At  the  close  of  the  services,  it  was  proposed  to  or- 
ganize a  regimental  Church,  and  a  committee  was 
appointed  to  act  with  the  chaplain  in  preparing  some 
formal  bond  of  union  or  Church  covenant.  This  was 
on  Thursday  evening,  the  27th  of  February,  1862.* 

On  the  ensuing  Monday  evening,  the  3d  of  March, 
a  meeting  was  held  in  the  Masonic  Hall  for  the  pur- 
pose of  completing  the  Church  organization.  The  rec- 
ord kept  from  that  time  till  the  regiment  was  mus- 
tered out,  in  1864,  contains  the  following  minutes  of 
that  meeting : 


"  CAMP  Cox,  POINT  PLEASANT,  VIRGINIA 
"March   3,    1862. 


NIA,  •) 
•        I 


"  Pursuant  to  notice,  a  meeting  of  the  soldiers 
of  the  Eleventh  Regiment  Ohio  Volunteer  Infantry, 
U.  S.  A.,  was  held  in  the  Masonic  Hall,  Point  Pleas- 

*  The  general  reader  will,  perhaps,  excuse  this  apparent  show 
of  punctilious  regard  for  dates.  There  are  those  into  whose 
hands  this  unpretending  volume  may  fall  who  will  be  glad  to 
note  these  dates. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY  LIFE.  35 

ant,  for  the  purpose  of  organizing  a  Church  in  said 
regiment. 

"  The  Chaplain,  Rev.  W.  W.  Lyle,  was  appointed 
Chairman,  and  M.  L.  Sheets  Secretary. 

"After  devotional  exercises,  the  business  of  the 
meeting  was  introduced,  and  the  committee,  appointed 
at  a  previous  meeting,  to  prepare  a  constitution  for 
the  contemplated  Church,  presented  their  report, 
which  was  unanimously  adopted,  as  follows  : 

"  BOND  OP  UNION  OP  THE  CHURCH  OP  THE  ELEVENTH  EEGIMENT 
0.  V.  I.,  U.  S.  A. 

"  Believing  it  to  be  our  duty,  as  the  professed  followers  of 
the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  to  maintain  a  visible  Church  organiza- 
tion in  our  regiment,  we,  whose  names  are  hereto  appended, 
form  ourselves  into  a  Church,  under  the  Designation,  Articles 
of  Faith,  and  General  Rules,  as  follows: 

"  1.  This  organization  shall  be  called  THE  UNION  CHURCH 
OF  THE  ELEVENTH  REGIMENT  OHIO  VOLUNTEER  INFANTRY. 

"2.  The  object  of  this  Association  is  to  bring  into  visible 
unity  and  organization  the  religious  element  in  our  regiment; 
to  watch  over,  encourage,  and  comfort  one  another  as  brethren, 
in  the  Lord,  and,  as  much  as  in  us  lies,  to  promote  good  order, 
morality,  and  piety  in  our  camp. 

"  3.  Members  of  all  Christian  Churches  shall  be  eligible  for 
membership,  and  shall,  in  common  with  all  applicants,  be 
received  on  certificate  or  profession  of  faith. 

"ARTICLES  OF  RELIGION. 

"We  believe  in  God  the  Father  Almighty,  Maker  of  heaven 
and  earth,  and  in  His  Son,  our  Lord  and  Savior  Jesus  Christ, 
who  came  into  the  world  to  make  an  atonement  for  sin.  We 
believe  in  the  Holy  Spirit,  the  Divine  Comforter  and  Sancti- 
fier;  in  the  Scriptures  of  Divine  truth,  as  the  only  sufficient 
rule  of  faith  and  practice,  and  in  the  necessity  of  repentance 
toward  God,  and  faith  in  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  as  conditions 


36  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

of  salvation.  We  believe  it  to  be  the  duty  of  every  Christian 
to  maintain  a  godly  life,  walk,  and  conversation  at  all  times, 
and  under  all  circumstances;  and  by  gentleness,  meekness, 
and  fidelity,  to  commend  the  religion  of  Christ  to  the  hearts 
and  consciences  of  men. 

"  Candidates  for  admission  will  be  addressed  in  the  words 
of  the  following 

"  COVENANT. 

"  You  do  avouch  the  Lord  Jehovah  to  be  your  God,  the 
Savior  Jesus  Christ  to  be  your  Redeemer,  and  the  Holy 
Spirit  to  be  your  Comforter  and  Sanctifier.  You  profess  to 
have  renounced  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the  devil,  and  are 
determined,  through  grace,  to  live  soberly,  righteously,  and 
godly  in  this  present  world.  In  joining  this  Church,  you 
promise  to  labor  for  the  edification  and  welfare  of  your 
brethren;  to  attend  as  often  as  you  possibly  can  the  meetings 
for  Divine  worship ;  to  labor  for  the  conversion  of  your  com- 
panions in  arms,  and  to  promote  good  order  and  morality  in 
the  regiment.  [Answer — I  do.] 

"  RESPONSE  OF  THE  CHURCH — [The  Chaplain,  in  the  name  of 
the  Church,  will  say~\ — We  receive  you,  dear  brethren,  into  our 
fellowship  and  communion,  and  promise,  through  Divine 
Grace,  to  watch  over  you  as  beloved  brethren  in  Christ;  to 
sustain,  comfort,  and  encourage  you  in  the  Christian  warfare, 
and  to  discharge  such  duties  as  are  incumbent  upon  us  as 
fellow-believers  in  the  Lord  Jesus.  And  may  the  blessing  of 
God  our  Father  rest  upon  us  all.  Amen." 

After  the  adoption  of  the  foregoing,  a  committee, 
or  Official  Board — jocularly  known  ever  after  as 
"The  Chaplain's  Staff" — was  appointed,  as  follows: 
A.  Conklin,  E.  H.  Eyer,  C.  J.  McClure,  M.  L. 
Sheets,  W.  T.  Burns,  and  J.  B.  Woolson. 

An  opportunity  was  then  given  for  any  who  wished 
to  join  the  new  organization  to  do  so,  when  some 
twenty-five  immediately  subscribed  to  the  Bond  of 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE.  37 

Union.  While  the  interesting  services  were  being 
conducted,  and  one  after  another  expressed  a  desire 
to  be  numbered  with  the  little  Christian  band,  an 
occurrence  took  place  which  was  deeply  affecting.  A 
young  man  arose,  and  said  :  "  I  have  known  what  it 
is  to  enjoy  religion;  I  have  known  what  it  is  to  ex- 
perience God's  love;  but  since  I  came  into  the  army 
I  have  backslidden  from  God.  I  have  a  praying 
father  and  mother,  and  when  I  left  home  my  mother 
wept  over  me,  and  told  me  not  to  forget  my  God." 
While  speaking,  his  voice  faltered,  and  the  tears 
trickled  over  his  cheeks.  "Yes,"  he  continued,  after 
a  pause,  "my  mother  is  a  praying  woman — and,  0, 
she  is  praying  for  me  to-night!  I  know  she  is  pray- 
ing for  me  to-night;  for  when  I  said  farewell  to 
her,  she  said,  '  I  '11  pray  for  you  night  and  morning, 
my  son,  but,  0,  don't  neglect  to  pray  for  your- 
self!" These  words,  and  the  peculiarly  tender  tone 
in  which  they  were  spoken,  had  a  thrilling  effect  upon 
every  one  present.  After  a  moment's  pause,  he  ex- 
pressed an  earnest  wish  to  be  prayed  for;  and  we  all 
knelt  down  to  petition  a  Throne  of  Grace  in  his 
behalf.  Another  man  arose,  and  said  "he  had  long 
been  a  wanderer,  but  now  he  wished  to  be  with  the 
people  of  God — would  we  receive  him  ?  "  "  Yes, 
yes !  "  was  the  answer.  "  Come,  and  we  will  do  thee 
good;  for  the  Lord  hath  spoken  good  concerning 
Israel."  Another  season  of  prayer  was  held,  after 
which  a  very  sensible  and  spirit-stirring  little  address 
was  made  by  the  oldest  soldier  present — Mr.  Nathan 
Whittaker,  of  Company  E.  How  long  that  little,  un- 
pretending meeting  might  have  been  held,  it  would 


38  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

be  difficult  to  say;  but  certain  it  is,  the  drummer's 
call  for  "  tattoo "  seemed  to  come  too  early  that 
night.  Services  were  again  held  the  next  evening. 
"The  Savior's  tender  compassion  for  the  penitent 
sinner"  was  the  theme  of  discourse.  At  the  close 
of  the  services,  several  were  received  into  the  Church, 
some  on  profession  of  faith,  and  others  by  certificate 
from  their  respective  Churches  at  home.  The  meet- 
ings were  continued  every  night  during  that  week, 
and  the  interest  manifested  in  religious  matters  gen- 
erally was  both  hopeful  and  encouraging. 

On  the  ensuing  Sabbath,  the  ordinance  of  baptism 
was  administered,  when  two  young  men,  who  had 
found  peace  in  believing,  publicly  professed  their  faith 
in  Christ.  At  the  same  services,  six  more  joined  the 
Regimental  Church.  Meetings  were  held  each  night 
during  the  succeeding  week  also;  and  such  were  the 
indications  given  of  God's  gracious  presence,  that  it 
seemed  as  if  the  language  of  every  attendant  was,  "It 
is  good  for  us  to  be  here."  This  state  of  things  con- 
tinued for  several  weeks,  during  which,  services  were 
held  generally  every  night.  The  movement  could  not 
be  dignified  with  the  name  of  a  revival,  and  yet  not 
a  few  Christian  soldiers  were  strengthened  and  encour- 
aged, while  several  others,  who  left  home  thoughtless 
and  godless,  were  constrained  to  give  their  hearts 
unto  the  Lord.  There  was  an  increased  demand  for 
Testaments,  tracts,  and  religious  reading  generally, 
with  which,  thanks  to  Christian  friends  at  home,  we 
were  abundantly  supplied.  On  Sabbath,  the  23d  of 
March,  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  ob- 
served, for  the  first  time,  by  our  little  Christian  broth- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE.  39 

erhood,  and,  perhaps,  for  the  first  time  within  the 
lines  of  this  portion  of  the  army.  It  was  truly  a  sea- 
son of  refreshing  from  the  presence  of  the  Lord — a 
time  long  to  be  remembered  by  those  who  participated 
in  the  solemn  and  interesting  services.  Perhaps  the 
privilege  of  commemorating  the  sufferings  and  death 
of  Christ,  by  those  Christian  soldiers,  was  all  the  more 
highly  appreciated,  because  of  the  circumstances  in 
which  they  were  placed — away  from  the  refining  and 
elevating  influences  of  home,  and  the  sacred  associa- 
tions of  home-Sabbaths  and  the  home-sanctuary — to- 
gether with  the  fact  that  such  a  privilege  had  not  been 
enjoyed  for  a  long  time,  while  the  expectation  of  an 
active  campaign  about  to  open  gave  no  favorable 
promise  of  enjoying  the  same  privilege  very  soon 
again.  It  was  a  time,  too,  of  very  solemn  inquiry  rel- 
ative to  the  responsibility  of  professing  Christians  in 
the  army,  not  only  in  regard  to  their  own  spiritual 
welfare,  but  also  in  regard  to  their  influence  upon  their 
companions  in  arms. 


CHAPTER  in. 

GAULET   BRIDGE—  -.RALEIGH    COURT-HOUSE SUSPENSE GENERAL    COX 

AT    FLAT-TOP A    POWERFUL    BATTERY HOSPITAL    SCENES. 

ON  the  16th  of  April,  the  regiment,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  Company  F,  which  was  left  to  guard  Govern- 
ment property,  left  Point  Pleasant  for  Winfield,  on 
the  Kanawha  River.  We  remained  at  Winfield  till 
May  8,  when  orders  were  received  to  move  to  Gauley 
Bridge.  At  five  P.  M.,  six  companies  left,  followed 
next  day  by  the  rest  of  the  regiment.  The  transports 
could  go  up  the  river  only  as  far  as  Cannelton,  a  land- 
ing near  some  coal-oil  works,  and  about  twelve  miles 
from  Gauley  Bridge.  At  four  o'clock  next  after- 
noon— Saturday,  the  10th — the  regiment  encamped  at 
Gauley  Bridge,  within  a  short  distance  of  the  camp 
ground  occupied  about  five  months  before,  and  under 
the  very  shadow  of  Cotton  Mountain,  whose  rugged 
summit  the  last  lingering  rays  of  the  setting  sun  were 
illuminating  with  the  soft,  dreamy  splendors  of  an 
early  summer's  eve,  as  we  drove  our  tent-pins  and 
stretched  our  cumbrous  "Sibleys." 

"  In  for  another  campaign,  in  this  jumping-oif  place 
of  creation,"  said  one,  as  he  dipped  his  tin-cup  into 
the  kettle  of  steaming  coffee. 
(40) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  41 

"  Who  wants  to  go  on  a  scout  to  Sewell  Mountain  ?" 
shouted  another. 

"  Hold  on,  partner,"  said  a  third ;  "  we  are  going 
to  Richmond,  by  way  of  Greenbrier." 

"What '11  ye  bet,"  said  another,  "we  don't  march 
straight  for  Newbern  and  cut  the  Conthieveracy  in 
two,  and  distinguish  ourselves  generally?" 

"Very  likely,"  chimed  in  another,  as  he  leisurely 
cut  into  a  chunk  of  fat  pork,  using  a  piece  of  hard 
tack  for  a  plate — "  very  likely,  boys,  we  '11  distinguish 
ourselves  generally,  and  some  of  us  may  get  extin- 
guished particularly." 

"Did  you  hear  the  news,  boys?  The  rebs  are  at 
Lewisburg  and  up  New  River,"  said  another,  who  had 
just  corae  from  the  camp  of  the  Forty-fourth  Ohio. 

"Tell  us  something  we  don't  know,"  was  the  polite 
answer  made  in  return  for  the  information  so  freely 
volunteered.  "Wouldn't  be  surprised  if  old  Jenkins 
was  n't  considerably  nearer  than  Lewisburg." 

"  Say,  boys,  do  you  remember  when  the  rebs  opened 
on  us  with  that  old  smooth-bore  from  Cotton  Hill,  yon- 
der ?"  said  one. 

"Guess  we  paid  'em  back  when  we  fired  our  ten- 
pounder  ramrod  at  them.  They  did  n't  know  what  in 
thunder  it  was.  Rather  guess  we  knew,  though.  How 
they  scampered  off  on  the  double-quick,  seemingly 
scared  to  death  at  what  they  thought  was  a  new  gun, 
just  got  into  position !  Wonder  if  old  Wise  did  n't 
think  we  were  sending  chain-shot  after  him,  when  our 
rammer  went  booming  and  splintering  through  the 
trees  ?  " 

And  thus  remarks,  half  in  fun,  half  in  earnest,  re- 
4 


42  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

ferring  to  incidents  and  experiences  of  the  preceding 
summer's  campaign,  were  freely  bandied  about.  But, 
with  all  the  good-humored  repartee  and  joke  around 
the  camp-fires  that  night,  there  was  a  very  general  dis- 
gust at  the  idea  of  another  summer's  scouting  and 
bushwhacking  in  that  bleak,  dreary,  forsaken  region 
of  Western  Virginia. 

Next  day,  Sabbath,  May  11,  the  Forty-fourth  Ohio 
moved  up  the  east  side  of  New  River,  toward  Lewis- 
burg,  and  on  the  following  day,  part  of  the  Eleventh 
moved  up  the  west  side  of  the  river  by  the  Fayette- 
ville  road,  toward  Beckley  or  Raleigh  Court-house. 
These  movements  fairly  inaugurated  the  campaign  of 
the  Kanawha  in  1862. 

A  few  days  after  the  movements  above  mentioned, 
Company  E,  Captain  Douglass,  and  Company  G,  Cap- 
tain Higgins,  left  Gauley  Bridge  also,  and  followed 
the  regiment  toward  Raleigh.  It  was  on  Saturday, 
the  17th  of  May,  that  this  detachment  set  out.  It 
was  a  bright  and  beautiful  morning,  and  but  for  the 
roll  of  the  drum,  which  was  answered  by  repeated 
echoes  from  the  deep  mountain  gorges  and  frowning 
steeps  of  the  New  River  and  the  Gauley,  with  an  oc- 
casional bugle-blast,  no  one  would  have  imagined  that 
war's  dread  visage  was  darkening,  even  then,  this 
wildly  romantic  but  beautiful  country.  More  stir- 
ring scenes  have  been  enacted  since  that  morning, 
and  many  a  bloody  battle  has  been  witnessed  by  the 
writer  of  these  lines,  and  by  those  who  were  his  com- 
panions in  arms,  since  then ;  but  that  morning's  scene 
on  the  banks  of  the  Gauley — the  crossing  of  the  river, 
the  toilsome  march  up  Cotton  Hill,  with  all  the  at- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  43 

tendant  circumstances — will  never  be  forgotten.  Long 
before  day  the  reveille  was  beat,  each  note  being 
taken  up  by  the 

"Echoes  wildly  flying," 

and  flung  back  again  as  if  with  tenfold  power.  In  a 
short  time  the  tents  were  struck,  horses  saddled,  and 
baggage  in  the  wagons,  and  we  were  on  our  way  to 
the  front.  The  "front,"  by  the  way,  was,  as  usual, 
someAvhat  of  a  vague  locality ;  for,  as  we  afterward 
found,  it  was  pretty  near  right  and  left,  as  well  as  be- 
fore us.  While  the  heavy  supply-train  was  toiling 
wearily  and  slowly  up  the  rough,  rugged  road  that 
winds  up  and  around  Cotton  Hill  for  some  six  or 
seven  miles,  I  had  ample  time  to  survey  the  whole 
scene,  and  indulge  in  such  reflections  as  it  would  nat- 
urally suggest.  This  is  but  a  living  picture  of  man's 
life  upon  earth,  thought  I,  as  the  bustling,  changing 
scenes  of  the  past  few  days  seemed  to  rise  up  before 
me.  How  true  it  is  that  life,  at  the  best,  is  but  a 
warfare;  and  he  only  is  truly  happy  who  hath  taken  to 
himself  the  whole  armor  of  God,  and  in  the  strength 
which  Christ  imparts,  struggles  bravely  on  till  the 
victory  is  obtained  over  the  world,  the  flesh,  and  the 
devil.  Glorious  is  the  crown  which  the  Captain  of  our 
salvation  will  give  to  those  who  conquer  on  the  spirit- 
ual battle-field;  and  glorious  even  in  this  life  are  the 
rewards  of  him  who  daily  says — 

"  Fight  on,  my  soul,  till  death 

Shall  bring  thee  to  thy  God — 
He  '11  take  thee,  at  thy  parting  breath, 
Up  to  his  blest  abode.' 


44  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

Toward  evening,  we  reached  the  picket-posts  of 
what  I  supposed  was  some  regiment  stationed  at  Fay- 
etteville,  and  at  first  paid  little  attention  to  the  mat- 
ter ;  but  on  coming  closer,  I  saw  that  something  was 
in  the  wind.  Here  were  some  of  our  own  men,  who 
had  preceded  us  some  four  or  five  days  before,  and 
whom  I  supposed  were  twenty  miles  further  on.  They 
had  a  keen,  vigilant,  wide-awake  look  about  them,  as 
much  as  to  say,  "Look  out  for  bushwhackers,  boys!" 

"  We  have  been  expecting  an  attack  all  day,"  said 
the  men  at  the  picket-post,  in  reply  to  our  questions — 
"Jenkins's  cavalry  have  been  scouting  around,  and 
fired  on  our  pickets  on  the  Raleigh  road  last  night. 
And  there  was  warm  work  up  at  Princeton,  yester- 
day, too.  General  Cox  had  to  fall  back  to  Flat-Top, 
and  the  Thirty-fourth  Regiment  has  been  badly  cut 
up." 

Such  were  the  reports  given  as  we  passed  along. 
I  could  not  help  thinking  to  myself  that  "  ignorance 
is  bliss,"  sometimes — at  least  temporarily.  I  had 
been  bringing  up  the  rear — that  is,  half  a  mile  be- 
hind— walking  quite  leisurely,  in  order  to  allow  a 
wearied  soldier  to  help  himself  along  on  my  horse. 
On  getting  into  the  village,  preparations  were  in- 
stantly made  for  both  eating  and  skirmishing ;  which 
of  the  two  duties  would  come  first  it  was  hard  to  tell. 

The  first  stage  of  excitement  was  beginning  to  sub- 
side into  coffee  and  crackers,  when  scouts  came  in, 
and  reported  a  rebel  force  advancing  toward  Fayette- 
ville  in  such  a  manner  as  to  make  a  sudden  attack 
during  the  night.  The  pickets  were  strengthened, 
additional  rounds  of  ammunition  distributed,  and, 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  45 

having  spread  our  blankets  where  we  could,  we 
went  to  sleep,  and  slept,  if  not  comfortably,  safely 
enough,  for  we  were  not  disturbed.  Early  in  the 
morning,  orders  were  received  from  head-quarters  to 
push  forward  with  the  utmost  dispatch.  This  was  a 
difficult  matter,  owing  to  the  rough  and  hilly  roads, 
and  the  heavily-loaded  wagons ;  but,  as  there  seemed 
to  be  trouble  ahead,  every  thing  was  done  to  advance 
as  rapidly  as  possible. 

At  night  we  encamped  on  what  had  been  a  farm- 
yard, and,  after  a  late  but  delicious  supper  of  crack- 
ers and  coffee,  threw  ourselves  down  wherever  there 
were  the  best  indications  of  comfort.  The  greater 
number  enjoyed  the  luxury  of  sleeping  in  the  open 
air ;  a  few,  however,  were  fortunate  enough  to  get 
into  a  dilapidated  log-cabin.  This  cabin  was  the 
most  thoroughly  ventilated  institution  of  the  kind 
imaginable — fully  equal  to  the  demands  of  the  most 
radical  of  hygienic  reformers.  The  boys,  had  they 
not  been  accustomed  to  "roughing  it  in  the  bush," 
might,  perhaps,  have  had  some  sympathy  for  the  poor 
fellow,  of  whom  we  have  all  heard,  who  caught  a 
severe  cold  by  sleeping  one  night  in  the  pasture-field 
with  the  gate  open. 

A  thunder-storm  came  up  during  the  night,  and 
we  had  a  plentiful  supply  of  fresh  water  in  addition 
to  fresh  air;  but  as  it  is  not  what  a  man  has,  but 
what  he  enjoys,  that  is  really  valuable  to  him,  so,  on 
the  same  principle,  we  valued  very  highly  the  oppor- 
tunity of  resting  our  aching  limbs,  even  under  such 
circumstances.  It  is  not  likely  that  any  of  us  will 
make  annual  pilgrimages  to  that  ancient  log-cabin, 


46  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

as  the  followers  of  Mohammed  do  to  Mecca;  but 
I  think,  for  one,  that  I  will  always  look  with  consid- 
erable respect  upon  all  log-cabins  in  general,  and 
particularly  upon  those  that  are  minus  doors,  win- 
dows, chimneys,  clapboards,  and  chinking.  We  were 
just  fully  into  the  blessed  enjoyment  of  sound  sleep, 
when  I  was  unceremoniously  aroused  with  "  Captain ! 
Captain !  here 's  a  messenger  from  head-quarters." 
"That  ain't  the  captain;  that's  the  chaplain,"  said 
Henry  Culbertson,  who  was  occupying  a  neighbor- 
ing board.  "Where's  the  captain,  then?  Where's 
Captain  Douglass  ? "  By  this  time  we  were  all  at 
least  half  awake ;  and  Captain  Douglass,  taking  the 
dispatches  from  the  orderly,  read  them  hastily,  and 
soon  "  Fall  in !  Fall  in,  boys  ! "  awakened  every 
sleeper,  and  made  him  start  to  his  feet.  In  a  short 
time  the  train  was  in  motion,  and  away  we  went, 
over  steep  hills  and  through  deep  defiles,  as  rapidly 
as  possible.  In  a  few  hours  we  reached  Ilaleigh,  and 
found  every  one  busy  at  work  preparing  to  receive, 
in  a  becoming  manner,  a  rebel  force  expected  every 
moment.  General  Cox  had  sent  dispatches  from 
Flat-Top  to  Colonel  Coleman,  informing  him  that  a 
rebel  force  was  reported  moving  around  by  way  of 
Logan,  with  the  evident  intention  of  cutting  our 
communications,  and  that  it  was  probable  an  attack 
would  be  made  on  the  garrison  at  Raleigh.  Scouts 
were  sent  out  in  all  directions,  and  every  precaution 
was  taken  by  the  brave  and  ever-watchful  Colonel 
Coleman  to  prevent  a  surprise.  Log-houses  were 
quickly  transformed  into  tolerably  good  stockades ; 
the  court-house — a  large  brick  building — was  loop- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE.  47 

holed  for  sharp-shooters,  and  covered  ways  were  made 
leading  to  the  principal  spring.  It  was,  however,  a 
time  of  no  little  anxiety;  for,  aside  from  our  exposed 
position,  there  was  but  a  handful  of  men  to  guard  the 
post.  Two  companies,  under  command  of  Captain 
Lane,  had  been  gone  for  three  days  on  a  scouting 
expedition,  and  had  not  been  heard  from.  The  ex- 
pedition had  started  for  a  point  somewhat  east  and 
south  of  where  the  battle  of  the  Friday  previous  had 
been  fought,  and  no  little  anxiety  was  felt  for  its 
safety.  One  company,  as  already  stated,  was  at 
Fayetteville,  while  Company  F  was  still  on  duty  at 
Point  Pleasant.  There  was  quite  a  number  of  sick 
belonging  to  the  Twelfth,  Twenty-third,  and  Thirty- 
fourth  Regiments  in  the  hospital;  and  in  case  of  any 
reverse,  the  facilities  for  their  removal  were  very  lim- 
ited. Notwithstanding  these  somewhat  perplexing 
circumstances,  every  one  felt  determined  and  hopeful. 
Not  soon  will  I  forget  Colonel  Coleman's  reply  to  a 
remark  I  made  to  him,  relative  to  the  difficulty  of  fall- 
ing back  to  any  safer  position,  in  the  event  of  being 
attacked  by  a  superior  force.  "  The  Eleventh  do  n't 
fall  back  from  this  point.  We  intend  to  stay  here  at 
all  hazards,  and  advance  rather  than  retreat !  "  Brave 
Coleman  !  He  sleeps  in  the  honored  grave  of  a  pa- 
triot soldier,  but  those  words,  spoken  with  such  earn- 
estness and  decision,  at  a  time  when  matters  looked 
gloomy  in  the  Kanawha  Valley,  will  never  be  forgot- 
ten. The  only  expression  indicative  of  anxiety  which 
he  uttered  at  this  time  was,  "  I  only  wish  those  two 
companies  that  are  out  with  Captain  Lane  were  back. 
They  have  gone  too  far.  I  am  anxious  about  them." 


48  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY   LIFE. 

Some  of  the  more  waggish  of  the  boys  had  got  a 
sheet-iron  camp-stove — which  bears  no  slight  resem- 
blance to  a  small  mortar — and  had  placed  it  in  such 
a  position  as  to  command  one  of  the  approaches! 
Others  had  mounted  a  joint  of  dangerous-looking 
stove-pipe  on  the  fore-wheels  of  an  old  wagon;  while 
in  keeping  with  the  brilliant  military  strategy  dis- 
played elsewhere,  and  which  had  such  powerful  in- 
fluence on  the  ever-cautious  McClellan  in  front  of 
Manassas,  some  reckless  wags  in  Company  H  had 
still  another  piece  of  stove-pipe  duly  mounted  en 
barbette,  on  the  top  of  their  log-house  lunette,  on 
which  they  had  painted,  in  staring  capitals :  THE 
LAST  CHANCE  ! 

As  a  tribute  to  a  brave  and  worthy  young  man,  now 
"sleeping  his  last  sleep,"  it  may  be  mentioned,  in  this 
connection,  that  Colonel  Coleman  had  sent  out  Andrew 
Thompson,  accompanied  by  a  stalwart  negro  as  guide, 
with  dispatches  for  Captain  Lane.  Having  each  a 
rifle  and  a  cartridge-box,  and  with  three  days'  rations 
in  their  haversacks,  they  started  out  on  their  perilous 
mission.  Over  hills  and  through  valleys,  following 
bridle-paths  and  blind  trails,  they  pressed  on  reso- 
lutely, and  finally  succeeded  in  finding  the  detach- 
ment. The  confidence  reposed  in  Andrew  by  Colonel 
Coleman,  and  the  words  of  approbation  with  which  he 
welcomed  him,  when  he  and  the  detachment  came  into 
camp,  were  alike  honorable  to  both.  How  freely  some 
of  us  breathed,  and  how  comfortably  brave  and  self- 
confident  some  of  us  felt,  when  the  two  companies  de- 
filed past,  with  their  prisoners  and  genuine  Union 
home-guards,  and  carrying  any  quantity  of  tobacco,  I 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF    ARMY  LIFE.  49 

would  not  dare  to  say.  Certain  it  is,  however,  that 
the  thermometer  of  hope  and  confidence  went  up  rap- 
idly, and  we  all  felt  brave  enough  and  strong  enough 
to  make  Raleigh  both  the  last  chance  and  the  last 
ditch.  Whether  the  sentiment  attributed  to  Napo- 
leon— that  "  God  is  always  on  the  side  of  the  heav- 
iest battalions" — be  true  or  false,  one  thing  is  certain, 
people  generally  feel  considerably  more  courageous 
and  resolute  when  in  a  tight  place,  if  they  only  know 
they  have  good  backing. 

HOSPITAL   SCENES    AND    INCIDENTS — "A   STRANGER 
HERE." 

While  officers  and  men  were  attending  to  their  ap- 
propriate duties,  I  commenced  my  work  among  the 
sick  and  wounded  in  the  hospital,  or  rather  hospitals, 
for  there  were  two.  In  one  of  the  wards  I  found  a 
sufferer  upon  whose  countenance  Death  had  set  his 
dark  seal.  I  spoke  to  him,  but  he  heard  me  not — he 
was  too  close  upon  the  shores  of  eternity  to  hear 
words  of  earth.  No  one  in  the  hospital  knew  him, 
or  could  tell  where  his  home  was,  or  whether  any  one 
called  him  son  or  brother.  I  knelt  down  at  the  side 
of  his  lowly  bed,  and  commended  him  to  the  tender 
mercies  of  a  gracious  God.  Was  he  prepared  to  die? 
Were  the  ministering  angels  hovering  near  to  waft  his 
spirit  to  the  better  land?  Now,  that  no  human  lan- 
guage could  reach  his  ear,  was  Jesus  whispering- peace 
and  joy  in  his  heart?  and  while  his  glassy  eyes  were 
closing  upon  earth,  did  he  see  the  gates  of  glory  open- 
ing to  receive  him  ?  Or,  was  the  harvest  past  and  the 

5 

.  v 


50  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

summer  ended — the  Savior  unsought  and  the  soul  un- 
saved? These  were  questions  which  it  were  vain  to 
ask.  0,  DEATH  !  how  solemn  art  thou  I  But  much 
more  solemn  is  LIFE;  for  it  is  the  living  that  invests 
the  dying  either  with  the  darkness  of  despair,  or  with 
the  glorious  sunshine  of  hope.  If  we  live  right,  God 
will  see  to  it  that  we  die  right,  wherever  we  may  he, 
and  whatever  may  be  our  circumstances. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  poor  sufferer  hreathed  his  last, 
and  as  we  closed  his  eyes,  I  thought  of  some  home- 
circle  of  loving  hearts  anxiously  waiting  for  the  return 
of  the  absent  one,  but  whose  face  they  would  see  no 
more.  We  got  his  knapsack,  and  searched  it  for  any 
letters  that  might  contain  the  address  of  relatives. 
One  was  found,  written  by  a  brother,  to  which  a  post- 
script was  added  by  his  father,  as  follows : 

.     .     .     .     "And  now,  my  dear  boy,  do  your  duty  to  your 
country ;  and,  above  all  things,  remember  your  Creator  in  the 
days  of  your  youth,  that  you  may  receive  his  blessing. 
"Your  affectionate  father, 

"J.  FORSTER." 

On  the  same  evening — Monday,  May  19 — just  as  the 
sun  was  setting,  we  consigned  to  the  earth  the  body 
of  this  young  man ;  and,  unless  removed,  there  stands 
on  his  grave  a  board — placed  there  by  our  kind  hos- 
pital steward,  J.  H.  Harden — with  the  inscription: 

"RICHARD    FORSTER, 

Company  E, 

Thirty-fourth  Regiment, 
Ohio  Vol.  Infantry. " 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  51 

"I  WILL  ARISE  AND  Go  TO  MY  FATHER." 

I  was  much  interested  in  the  case  of  a  young  man 
who  was  wounded  in  a  skirmish  with  a  guerrilla  band, 
between  Raleigh  and  Flat-Top.  When  I  first  saw  him, 
which  was  about  fifteen  days  after  he  was  wounded,  he 
was  suffering  very  much.  A  large  Belgian  rifle-ball 
had  passed  through  his  lungs,  and  at  every  breath 
he  took,  the  air  and  blood  bubbled  out  through  the 
wound.  Our  excellent  surgeon,  Dr.  Gabriel,  had  pro- 
nounced his  case  hopeless,  and  did  not  expect  him  to 
live  till  the  next  day.  I  spoke  to  him  of  his  condition, 
and  found  that  he  had  a  pious  father  and  mother,  and 
that  he  had  been  religiously  trained.  He  was  greatly 
discouraged,  not  so  much  on  account  of  his  bodily 
affliction  as  on  account  of  his  soul.  I  spoke  to  him 
of  the  love  of  God  in  Christ  Jesus,  of  his  tender 
mercy  and  long-suffering  grace.  The  tears  began  to 
trickle  over  his  cheek,  and  he  whispered  earnestly  and 
sadly : 

"  0,  chaplain,  I  wish  it  was  with  me  as  in  months 
past,  when  the  candle  of  the  Lord  shone  upon  my 
head.  I  was  happy  a  year  ago,  but  now  " — 

He  could  say  no  more.  In  a  few  minutes  he  recov- 
ered somewhat,  and  asked  me  to  pray  with  him.  I 
said  to  him  that  Jesus  was  able  to  save  unto  the  utter- 
most all  that  came  unto  God  through  him,  "  seeing  he 
ever  liveth  to  make  intercession  for  us." 

"  That 's  very  precious,"  was  his  reply. 

"Well,  here  is  another  precious  text  for  you: 
'This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 


52  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

sinners.'"  He  was  too  feeble  to  reply  audibly,  and 
was  in  great  physical  distress ;  but  he  made  signs,  in- 
dicating how  sweet  and  comforting  were  those  words. 
Kneeling  down  by  his  side,  I  prayed  for  him,  and  for 
the  wounded  all  around,  that  the  joys  of  salvation 
might  be  vouchsafed  unto  them. 

Toward  midnight  I  visited  the  hospital  again,  and 
found  that  nearly  all  the  sufferers  were  sleeping.  I 
found  my  young  friend,  however,  in  great  distress, 
and  apparently  sinking  rapidly  into  the  arms  of  death. 
Again  I  tried  to  soothe  his  troubled  spirit  by  whisper- 
ing in  his  ear  the  promises  of  a  gracious  God,  and 
pointing  him  to  the  all-sufficient  Savior.  He  ex- 
pressed a  hope  that  God  would  be  merciful  to  him, 
and  forgive  his  backslidings. 

"I  have  been  a  professor  of  religion,  a  member  of 
the  Methodist  Church,"  said  he,  in  a  whisper ;  "  but, 
since  coming  into  the  army,  I  have  neglected  my  duty. 
Darkness  has  come  upon  me;  I  am  backslidden  from 
God ;  but,  0,  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  Father,  and  I 
will  say,  "  Father,  I  have  sinned ! ' ' 

I  pressed  his  hand,  bade  him  good-night,  and  re- 
turned to  my  quarters,  thanking  God  for  the  oppor- 
tunity of  speaking  "  a  word  in  season  to  him  that  is 
weary." 

THE  WOUNDED  OF  THE  PRINCETON  FIGHT. 

The  Post  Hospital  of  the  Kanawha  District  of  the 
Mountain  Department  had  been  located  at  Raleigh, 
shortly  after  our  arrival.  Dr.  Gabriel  was  in  charge, 
assisted  by  Dr.  Gill,  and,  for  a  short  time,  by  Dr.  Neal, 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY  LIFE.  53 

of  the  Second  Virginia  Cavalry,  and  also  by  Dr.  Mc- 
Nutt,  the  latter  of  whom  was  subsequently  Second 
Assistant  Surgeon  to  the  Eleventh.  On  the  24th  of 
May,  Dr.  Gabriel  received  orders  from  head-quarters 
at  Flat-Top  to  make  hospital  arrangements  for  a  num- 
ber of  the  wounded_  of  the  Princeton  fight.  The 
court-house,  which  had  been  occupied  as  company 
quarters,  was  cleaned  out  most  thoroughly.  Bunks  or, 
cots  were  made  of  all  the  available  lumber,  which,  at 
the  best,  was  only  the  rough  fencing-boards  about  the 
town;  and  as  much  straw  as  could  be  collected  within 
several  miles  was  used  in  making  the  rough  bunks  a 
little  more  comfortable. 

The  work  was  finished  by  Sabbath  evening — next 
day — and  on  Monday  the  long  train  of  ambulances 
with  the  wounded  arrived,  under  charge  of  Dr.  Gill. 
As  quickly  as  possible  the  sufferers  were  laid  on  the 
cots  provided  for  them,  and  every  thing  done  to  make 
them  as  comfortable  as  possible  under  the  circum- 
stances. But,  alas!  they  were  in  a  sad  state.  Many 
of  them  had  been  taken  prisoners  by  the  Confederates, 
and  had  had  but  little  attention  paid  them.  They  had 
been  brought  forty  miles  after  being  exchanged,  and 
for  several  days  their  wounds  had  not  been  dressed. 
When  it  is  added  that  the  weather  was  very  warm  and 
sultry,  the  reader  will  be  able  to  form  some  idea  of 
their  terrible  state.  During  that  night  and  next  morn- 
ing the  surgeons  and  nurses  worked  faithfully,  and.  did 
every  thing  that  skill  and  kindness  could  do  to  alle- 
viate their  sufferings. 

Next  day,  their  wounds  having  been  dressed,  and 
every  thing  done  for  their  mangled  bodies,  I  tried, 


54  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

through  the  help  of  God,  to  lead  the  wearied,  ex- 
hausted sufferers  to  the  healing  streams  of  salvation, 
and  to  Jesus,  the  ever-living  and  ever-loving  Physi- 
cian of  souls. 

"I  DON'T  WANT  TO  THINK!" 

An  officer  of  the  Regiment  was  among  the 

first  that  attracted  my  attention.  He  had  been 
wounded  in  the  knee  ;  mortification  had  taken  place, 
and  it  was  evident  he  had  but  a  few  hours  to  live.  I 
spoke  to  him  as  kindly  and  soothingly  as  possible,  and 
inquired  how  he  felt. 

"  Very  bad !  very  bad  ! "  was  his  reply.  He  called 
incessantly  for  brandy;  was  restless,  nervous,  dying. 
I  gave  him  some  brandy  and  water,  which  the  surgeon 
had  ordered  for  him,  and  as  I  laid  his  head  back  on 
the  pillow,  and  spoke  to  him  of  that  loving  Savior  who 
died  to  redeem  the  world,  I  said :  "  Would  you  like 
me  to  read  a  little  to  you  out  of  God's  Word,  and  pray 
with  you  ?  " 

"  I  'm  too  weak — I  can 't  be  troubled — some  time 
again.  Give  me  brandy !  give  me  brandy ! "  was 
his  reply. 

"  You  are  indeed  weak,  and  seem  to  be  dying,  and 
that  is  the  reason  I  asked  whether  you  would  not  wish 
to  be  prayed  for.  Do  you  think  you  will  get  well  ?  " 

"I  am  afraid  not,"  said  he. 

"I  come  to  you,"  said  I,  "as  a  friend  and  brother, 
to  speak  to  you  in  the  name  of  Christ,  who  says  to  all 
sufferers,  '  Come  unto  me,  all  ye  that  are  weary  and 
heavy  laden,  and  I  will  give  you  rest.'  It  is  a  solemn 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE.  55 

thing  to  die.  Do  you  think  you  are  prepared  to  meet 
God?" 

He  seemed  to  quiver  under  the  power  of  some  un- 
told agony,  whether  entirely  physical,  it  were  difficult 
to  tell.  He  pressed  his  hands  repeatedly  on  his  fore- 
head, as  if  trying  to  keep  back  unwelcome  thoughts, 
and  then  exclaimed,  through  his  clenched  teeth,  "I 
don't  want  to  think!"  There  was  a  terrible  energy 
in  the  manner  he  pronounced  those  sad  words,  and 
they  conveyed  a  terrible  meaning. 

"  God  waits  to  be  gracious ;  look  to  Him  in  this  the 
hour  of  your  suffering,  and  pray  for  pardon  through 
the  Savior's  blood,"  said  I,  smoothing  back  the  tangled 
locks  from  his  clammy  brow. 

"  I  do  n't !  I  do  n't !  "  he  exclaimed,  in  a  loud 
whisper,  at  the  same  time  grasping  the  blanket  con- 
vulsively, and  drawing  it -over  his  face.  It  seemed  as 
if  the  poor  dying  man  either  did  not  wish  me  to  speak 
about  spiritual  matters,  or  that  the  reference  to  them 
caused  intense  anguish.  With  a  sad  heart  I  turned 
away  from  this  fearfully  solemn  and  gloomy  scene, 
with  the  intention  of  making  yet  another  effort  to 
point  the  dying  one  to  Christ.  But  the  second  effort 
was,  if  possible,  more  hopeless  than  the  first,  and  in 
an  hour  or  two  he  had  passed  into  the  eternal  world ! 

"He  was  an  infidel,"  said  one  who  knew  him  well, 
in  answer  to  some  inquiries  I  made  concerning  him. 

And  is  this  all  the  comfort  that  infidelity  can  give 
in  the  hour  of  suffering  and  death?  Cold,  cheerless, 
and  dark  as  the  grave  is  the  skeptic's  pathway  !  He 
begins  by  refusing  to  think  of  God  and  eternity.  God 
is  not  in  all  his  thoughts.  He  continues  in  the  dark 


56  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

and  cheerless  pathway  of  unbelief,  saying  to  the  God 
of  light  and  life,  "  Depart  from  me,  0  God,  for  I 
desire  not  the  knowledge  of  thy  ways  ! "  And  when 
he  stands  shivering  on  the  brink  of  eternity,  the  poor, 
hopeless,  homeless  unbeliever  exclaims,  "  I  DO  N'T 
WANT  TO  THINK  !  "  And  does  not  this  exclamation 
of  this  poor  dying  soldier  contain  the  very  essence, 
the  very  life,  of  all  ungodliness?  How  many  are 
there  who  every  day  and  hour  refuse  to  think  on  the 
everlastingly  important  and  precious  interests  of  their 
souls  !  They  plunge  madly  into  the  rushing,  deceit- 
ful current  of  worldly  pleasure,  alike  forgetful  of  the 
claims  of  God  and  the  interests  of  their  immortal 
souls !  We  speak  of  their  folly — their  thoughtless- 
ness. But  why  thoughtless  ?  Simply  because  they 
refuse  to  think  on  the  fearfully-important  issues  at 
stake.  Practically,  they  say,  "  We  do  n't  want  to 
think  !  "  Were  they  to  pause  in  their  mad  career, 
and  think  of  their  souls'  eternal  interests,  they  would 
be  led  to  repentance.  In  fact,  the  enjoyment  which 
any  sinner  derives  from  unhallowed  pleasures  depends 
upon  the  success  with  which  he  can  keep  himself  from 
all  serious  thought.  A  godless  life  commences,  and  is 
continued  in  a  refusal  to  think  on  those  matters  which 
affect  the  soul's  happiness,  and  if  persevered  in  till  the 
light  of  eternity  begins  to  flash  upon  the  dying  pillow, 
thought  then  becomes  terrible.  That  dying  scene  will 
never  be  forgotten  by  those  who  beheld  it.  The  ter- 
ribly significant  words  will  not  soon  be  effaced  from 
their  memory! 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  57 

A.  BRIGHTER  SCENE — CHRIST  PRECIOUS. 

Turning  away  from  the  sad  and  gloomy  scene  just 
described,  I  went  to  a  young  man  a  few  steps  further 
on,  who  had  been  severely  wounded  in  the  foot.  He 
had  apparently  been  reading  his  Bible,  for  it  lay  near 
him,  with  several  of  the  leaves  turned  down. 

"I  am  glad  to  see  you  with  your  Bible,"  said  I,  as 
he  welcomed  me  to  his  lowly  cot,  with  a  contented, 
cheerful  smile.  "You  have  been  reading  some  of 
God's  own  words — I  trust  you  feel  them  to  be  pre- 
cious in  the  hour  of  affliction?" 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  "  I  feel  that  the  Bible  is  indeed 
precious,  when  one  is  in  suffering.  I  am  not  what  I 
ought  to  be,"  he  continued;  "I  have  not  lived  as  near 
to  my  Savior  as  I  ought  to  have  done ;  but  I  can  say 
to-day,  that  what  little  religion  I  have  in  my  soul  I 
would  not  give  for  all  the  world ! " 

"I  am  glad  to  see  you  so  happy  and  contented,"  I 
replied,  "and  trust  that  Jesus  will  be  near  you  in  all 
your  sufferings.  Do  n't  forget  this  blessed  text :  '  I 
will  not  leave  you  comfortless ;  I  will  come  to  you.' " 

"  That  is  one  of  my  favorite  texts,"  said  he,  "  and 
I  know,  from  blessed  experience,  that  it  is  true.  Jesus 
never  forsakes  his  people ;  He  never  leaves  them  com- 
fortless. I  have  tried  sometimes  to  preach  a  little, 
and  if  God  restores  me  to  health  and  strength,  I  in- 
tend to  go  on  in  my  long-desired  work  of  preaching 
the  Gospel." 

"  What  Church  do  you  belong  to  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"To  the  Methodist  Church,"  he  replied.  "I  was 
attending  college,  at  Delaware,  Ohio,  when  the  war 


58  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF    ARMY   LIFE. 

broke  out,  but  I  thought  it  my  duty  to  shoulder  a 
musket  in  defense  of  my  country.  I  have  done  so, 
and  feel  I  did  right.  If  I  die,  all  is  well.  I  know 
that  I  love  the  Savior,  and,  blessed  be  God!  I  know 
he  loves  me,  too."  The  tears  rolled  down  his  cheeks, 
while  he  added,  "  and  I  am  certain,  through  grace,  to 
have  a  blessed  home  in  heaven." 

Much  more  he  said  to  the  same  import.  He  was 
truly  happy,  although  suffering  very  much,  and  in  ex- 
pectation of  undergoing  a  painful  operation.  Speak- 
ing a  few  more  words  of  comfort  to  him,  and  laying 
my  hand  on  his  noble,  broad  forehead,  I  said : 

"Now,  Brother  M ,  don't  get  the  least  discour- 
aged about  your  wound.  Keep  cheerful;  be  of  good 
courage.  God  has  work  for  you  to  do  in  the  world 
yet,  and,  by  and  by,  this  head  will  be  seen  in  a  pulpit." 

I  turned  away  from  this  pious  young  soldier,  thank- 
ing God  for  such  testimonies  to  the  living  power  of 
experimental  religion,  and  feeling  how  closely  con- 
nected are  true  piety  and  lofty  patriotism. 

"  THE  ONLY  SON  OF  HIS  MOTHER,  AND  SHE  WAS  A 
WIDOW." 

There  was  one  of  the  wounded  men  brought  from 
Princeton  who,  by  his  uncomplaining,  patient  de- 
meanor, notwithstanding  his  severe  sufferings,  at- 
tracted my  attention  from  the  moment  he  was  removed 
from  the  ambulance  and  placed  on  the  hard  cot  which 
had  been  prepared  for  him.  The  first  words  he  ut- 
tered, except  a  suppressed  cry  of  pain  when  laid 
down,  were,  "  Thank  God  for  tin's  ! " 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  59 

On  the  following  day,  while  visiting  the  lower  wards 
of  the  hospital,  where  he  was,  and  doing  some  little 
thing  to  make  one  of  the  patients  comfortable,  some 
one  called,  several  times,  "  Steward,  steward,  come 
here  !  "  Hearing  the  call  frequently  repeated,  I  looked 
up,  and  noticed  that  he  _was  the  person  who  was  call- 
ing. Beckoning  me  to  come  to  him,  I  did  so,  inquir- 
ing if  he  wished  any  thing. 

.    " Yes,"  said  he,  "I  do ;  are  you  one  of  the  stew- 
ards?" 

"No,"  I  replied;  "but  that  makes  no  difference,  if 
I  can  help  you.  What  can  I  do  for  you  ? '' 

"What  are  you,  then?"  he  asked. 

"  The  chaplain,"  I  replied. 

"Excuse  me,  excuse  me,"  said  he.  "I  didn't  know; 
you  don't  dress  like  a  chaplain." 

"Nothing  wrong  at  all,"  I  replied.  "You  know  a 
blouse  is  a  fine  thing  to  work  in,  and  there  is  plenty 
to  do  here.  What  can  I  do  for  you  ?  " 

"I  don't  want  any  thing  now.  Please  sit  down;  I 
want  to  talk  with  you.  I'm  glad  you  are  a  chaplain. 
I  am  much  discouraged  about  myself.  I  don't  think 
that  I  can  get  better." 

Poor  fellow !  he  was  in  a  dreadful  state.  His  leg 
had  been  mangled  fearfully,  and  in  addition  to  lying 
some  forty-eight  hours  on  the  battlefield  before  his 
wounds  were  dressed,  he  had  been  neglected  by  the 
rebel  surgeons  to  such  an  extent  that  they  were  ren- 
dered incurable. 

"What  are  you  discouraged  about — your  prospects 
of  living,  or  is  it  about  your  soul  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"I  think,"  said  he,  "that  I  can  not  get  better;  but 


60  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   AKMY   LIFE. 

I  am  trying  to  put  my  trust  in  God.  I  am  not  so 
much  troubled  about  myself;  but,  0,  if  I  die,  it  will 
break  my  dear  mother's  heart ! "  And  the  noble,  brave 
man  turned  away  his  head  and  burst  into  tears,  while 
his  whole  frame  shook  with  the  violence  of  his  emo- 
tions. "Poor  mother!  dear  mother!  her  heart  is 
bound  up  in  me.  I  don't  think  of  myself,  I  think  of 
her ;  for  I  am  her  only  son,  and  she  is  a  widow.  She 
has  no  one  to  depend  on  but  me." 

In  a  few  moments  he  recovered  himself  somewhat, 
and  requested  me  to  pray  with  him.  Kneeling  beside 
his  hard,  lowly  cot,  I  commended  him  to  the  tender 
mercy  of  that  God  who  hath  said,  "  Call  upon  me  in 
the  day  of  trouble ;  I  will  deliver  thee,  and  thou  shalt 
glorify  me." 

While  talking  with  him,  our  excellent  surgeon,  Dr. 
Gabriel,  came  to  him,  and  said  that  in  a  few  minutes 
he  would  have  to  undergo  amputation ;  that  it  was  the 
last  hope  of  saving  his  life ;  that  although  every  thing 
would  be  done  for  him  that  was  possible,  yet  he  might 
not  live  half  an  hour  after  the  operation,  and  that  it 
would  be  well  for  him  to  consider  all  that  might  be 
necessary  under  such  circumstances.  Dr.  Gabriel 
pressed  his  hand  warmly,  and  spoke  to  him  as  ten- 
derly as  if  he  were  his  own  brother.  That  little  epi- 
sode, at  the  side  of  that  hard,  rough  cot,  in  the  midst 
of  all  that  was  heart-rending  of  suffering  and  death, 
revealed  to  me  the  fact  that,  under  all  that  was  quiet, 
cool,  and  decided  of  medical  skill,  there  could  beat 
one  of  the  warmest  and  tenderest  of  hearts.  From 
that  moment  I  felt  attracted  toward  the  doctor;  and, 
singularly  enough,  from  that  very  time  till  he  left  the 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  61 

army,  we  were  hardly  ever  separated,  either  in  the 
camp,  on  the  march,  or  on  the  battle-field. 

In  about  half  an  hour  or  so,  the  nurses  came  to  take 
him  into  the  operating-room.  As  he  was  carried  out, 
he  .said :  "  Farewell,  boys !  farewell ! "  In  two  hours 
afterward  he  breathed  his  last !  As  I  watched  by  him 
for  a  few  minutes — a  few  minutes,  reader,  for  I  went 
from  one  dying  man  to  another,  and  from  the  bedside 
of  the  dying  to  the  grave,  and  from  the  grave  to  the 
bedside  again — 0  God !  this  is  war  ! — as  I  watched 
by  him  a  few  minutes,  I  thought  of  that  brave,  noble 
heart  yearning  for  a  mother's  soothing  voice,  and  the 
gentle  pressure  of  a  mother's  soft  hand,  and  whose 
last  hours  were  troubled  only  by  the  thought  of  her 
loneliness  and  distress;  and  I  wondered  whether  that 
mother,  all  unconscious,  perhaps,  of  the  condition  of 
her  dear  boy,  was,  even  then,  praying  for  him  as  she 
used  to  pray  with  him,  in  other  days,  beside  a  little 
crib,  while  she  taught  him  to  lisp,  "Now  I  lay  me 
down  to  sleep." 

As  a  fitting  close  to  this  hospital  incident,  I  append 
the  following  extract  from  my  note-book : 

"  Wednesday,  May  28,  1862. — Corporal  Thomas 
Johnsoit,  Company  D,  Thirty-fourth  Regiment  Ohio 
Volunteer  Infantry,  died  this  evening,  a  few  hours 
after  having  leg  amputated.  He  was  from  Kenton, 
Ohio,  and  was  wounded  at  the  battle  of  Princeton." 


CHAPTER  17 

ANGELS  IN  THE  HOSPITAL WOMAN'S  WORK — A  REMARKABLE  DEATH- 
BED— A  MOTHER'S  INFLUENCE. 

THE  wife  who  girds  her  husband's  sword, 

'Mid  little  ones  who  weep  or  wonder 
And  bravely  speaks  the  cheering  word, 

What  though  her  heart  be  rent  asunder, 
Doom'd  nightly  in  her  dreams  to  hear 

The  bolts  of  death  around  him  rattle, 
Hath  shed  as  sacred  blood  as  e'er 

Was  poured  upon  a  field  of  battle ! 

The  mother  who  conceals  her  grief, 

While  to  her  breast  her  son  she  presses, 
Then  breathes  a  few  brave  words  and  brief 

Kissing  the  patriot  brow  she  blesses; 
With  no  one  but  her  secret  God 

To  know  the  pain  that  weighs  upon  her, 
Sheds  holy  blood  as  e'er  the  sod 

Received  on  Freedom's  field  of  honor ! 

T.  BUCHANAN  READ. 

MINISTERING  ANGELS. 

WE  have  had  angel  visits  in  the  army.  Angels 
have  ministered  to  the  suffering  patriot  soldier  in 
many  a  camp  and  hospital,  and  on  many  a  battle- 
field. Not  angels  direct  from  heaven,  nor  angels  with 
white  wings  and  golden  crowns,  as  represented  by 
poets  and  painters ;  not  angels  who  are  considered 
(62) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP  ARMY  LIFE.  63 

superior  to  some  of  the  little  frailties  of  humanity — 
no,  nor  angels  whose  visits  are  said  to  be  few  and  far 
between — but  angels  of  the  earth  who  never  were  in 
heaven  (unless  Beecher's  "  Conflict  of  Ages  "  be  true), 
but  who,  we  earnestly  pray,  may  yet  be  arrayed  in 
white  robes,  be  adorned  with  unfading  cr&wns,  and 
dwell  forever  in  the  city  of  God;  angels  in  veritable 
human  bodies,  and — be  it  faintly  whispered — not  al- 
ways superior  to  some  of  the  frailties  supposed  to  be 
incident  to  such  habitations.  Yes,  to  be  plainer  still, 
angels  who  have  nimble  fingers,  and  who  rattle  knit- 
ting-needles, and  flourish  scissors,  and  thrust  with 
thimbles,  in  a  way  that  looks  as  if  they  h-*d  a  very 
close  connection  with  something  more  practical  than 
poetic.  "Angels!  Bah!  You  mean  ladies !"  sneers 
some  cynical  old  bachelor,  who  never  was  pleased  in 
his  life,  and  never  intends  to  be.  "  Angels !  Pretty 
angels,  forsooth!"  exclaims  some  long-faced  Pharisee, 
who  thinks  he  is  pious,  when  he  is  only  bilious,  and 
who  considers  it  a  special  mark  of  virtue  to  make  a 
sanctimonious  outcry  against  the  failings  of  men  in 
general  (except  himself,  good  soul!)  and  of  women 
in  particular.  Yes,  angels!  ye  solitary  croakers  and 
ye  canting  Pharisees,  who  perform  the  double  drama 
of  saints  at  church  and  sinners  at  home !  Yes,  an- 
gels !  all  ye  true,  noble  hearts  who  can  understand 
the  unspoken  wants  of  the  sad  and  suffering,  and  who 
can  appreciate  the  noble  efforts  of  mother  and  wife 
and  sister  to  supply  those  wants.  Yes,  angels  truly! 
all  ye  noble  women  of  the  loyal  North,  who  have 
made  sacrifices  so  heroically,  and  labored  so  faithfully 
and  perseveringly  in  your  Soldiers'  Aid  Societies,  and 


64  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

done   so  much  for  God  and  humanity  in  the  day  of 
the  nation's  deepest  distress. 

But  what  has  all  this  to  do  with  the  army,  which,  at 
the  best,  is  not  the  most  favorable  place  to  meet  with 
angels,  either  from  heaven  or  earth?  Very  much, 
dear  reader — very  much  indeed;  and  if  you  have 
never  been  in  the  army,  perhaps  you  will  understand 
my  idea  of  the  angelic  in  camp-life,  if  I  paint  you  two 
living  pictures  as  they  might  have  been  seen  at  the 
time  referred  to  in  the  previous  chapter. 

FIRST  PICTURE. 

It  is  a  large  room  or  hall,  and  running  its  entire 
length  are  six  rows  of  rough  cots  or  bunks.  Come 
up  stairs.  Here  is  a  room  of  similar  dimensions,  and 
containing  the  same  number  of  cots.  On  each  of 
these  rough  cots  lies  a  wounded  soldier.  Here  is  one 
whose  arm  was  amputated  a  day  or  two  since.  He  is 
very  weak  and  discouraged,  for  unfavorable  symptoms 
have  appeared.  He  has  only  a  little  loose  straw  laid 
on  the  boards  for  his  bed,  and  his  overcoat  or  knap- 
sack is  his  only  pillow^  He^is  hungry,  but  can  not 
eat  the  hard  crackers  and  coffee,  which  is  all  he  can 
get.  Here  is  another,  wounded  in  the  breast,  who,  in 
his  agony,  rolls  his  head  uneasily  from  side  to  side. 
He  will  die,  likely,  to-night.  There  is  another  near 
by.  A  ball  went  crashing  through  his  leg,  and  you 
can  see,  from  the  appearance  of  the  sufferer,  that  there 
is  little  hope  of  his  recovery.  Yonder  is  another,  who 
has  been  gashed  terribly.  He  is  bleeding  to  death, 
and  a  few  hours  will  close  the  scene.  Close  by  you 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  65 

there  is  a  mere  youth,  whose  shoulder  has  been  torn 
bv  a  piece  of  shell.  He  looks  deathly  pale,  and  is 
wasted  to  a  skeleton.  He  says  if  he  had  something 
nice,  such  as  his  mother  would  get  up  for  him,  he 
would  get  well  right  away.  You  see  that  poor  fellow 
close  by  the  window  thej*e,  propped  up  by  a  couple  of 
knapsacks?  '  He  may  die  any  moment,  for  you  could 
almost  turn  your  hand  in  the  gaping  wound  through 
his  lungs.  Go  from  cot  to  cot,  and  suffering  is  seen 
everywhere.  Xow,  just  look  a  little  closer.  Can 
you  see  a  single  pillow,  or  sheet,  or  bed-cover?  Can 
ou  see  a  clean  garment  on  those  poor  sufferers? 

o,  not  one !  A  coarse  army  blanket  has  been 
spread  on  the  scanty  allowance  of  straw;  the  wearied, 
wounded  soldier  has  been  laid  down  on  it,  and  an- 
other coarse  blanket  has  been  thrown  over  him.  No- 
bly the  surgeons  and  nurses  have  been  working  to 
render  the  poor  fellows  as  comfortable  as  possible, 
but  the  hospital  stores  are  nearly  exhausted.  This 
large  draft  on  our  resources  was  totally  unexpected, 
and  we  are  forty-five  miles  from  the  nearest  supplies. 
The  men  look  haggard,  dirty,  and  distressed.  God 
pity  them ! 

"Click!  click!  click!"  goes  the  key  of  the  tele- 
graph instrument,  and  the  electric  messenger  tells  the 
tale  of  suffering  and  want  and  death  to  those  who 
are  in  comfort  and  peace  at  home,  hundreds  of 
miles  off. 

Day  succeeds  day,  and  night,  weary,  dreary  night, 
comes  and  goes.  Cries  of  pain,  moans  of  deep  dis- 
tress, labored  breathings,  murmured  prayers  for  mercy, 
and  long  last  sighs  are  heard  every  day  and  every 
6 


66  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

night.  The  roll  of  the  muffled  drum,  and  the  sub- 
dued, plaintive  notes  of  Pleyel's  Hymn,  are  heard 
frequently,  as  the  soldier  is  carried  to  his  long  home. 
The  large  hospital  is  not  so  crowded  now;  but,  see, 
yonder  is  a  row  of  graves  which  tells  a  mournful  tale ! 

SECOND  PICTURE. 

It  is  Sabbath  afternoon — a  bright,  beautiful  day, 
which  reminds  us  of  blessed  meetings  in  the  sanctu- 
ary, and  dear  friends  at  home  in  the  enjoyment  of 
many  spiritual  and  temporal  comforts.  It  reminds 
us,  too,  of  the  blessed,  beautiful  Sabbath  of  heaven — 
the  fadeless  splendors,  the  undying  glory,  and  the 
unruffled  calm  of  God's  upper  sanctuary.  Let  us 
visit  the  hospital  again.  Lo,  what  a  change !  Nice, 
soft  pillows,  white  as  snow,  have  taken  the  place  of 
coats  and  knapsacks.  Clean  sheets  and  ample  cover- 
lets have  been  substituted  for  the  coarse,  dark  army 
blankets,  and  the  patients  are  all  dressed  in  clean, 
white  garments,  which  remind  us  of  those  robes  in 
which  John  saw  the  saints  arrayed  as  they  stood  before 
the  great  white  throne.  A  subdued  yet  unmistakable 
cheerfulness  is  depicted  on  every  countenance.  The 
luxury  of  cleanliness  has  been  enjoyed,  and  the  pa- 
tients feel  not  only  more  comfortable  and  cheerful, 
but  absolutely  better.  The  hospital,  and  all  within  it, 
has  been  entirely  transformed,  and  you  feel  like  ask- 
ing whether  the  days  of  miracles  are  passed.  By 
what  means  has  this  thrice-welcome  change  been  ac- 
complished? 

There  are  marks  on  those  snowy  sheets  and  pillows 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  67 

and  soft  quilts.  Examine  them,  and  see  whether  they 
will  explain  the  mystery.  Ah,  yes,  the  mystery  is 
solved !  "  Soldiers'  Aid  Society  of  Cleveland;"  "  Soj- 
diers'  Aid  Society,  Toledo..;"  "Sanitary  Commission, 
Cincinnati,"  are  the  words  marked  on  those  pillows 
and  sheets  and  other  valuable  articles;  and  they  tell 
us  at  once  who  the  good  angels  are  who,  unseen,  per- 
formed this  miracle.  But  this  is  not  all.  Fruits  of 
different  kinds,  various  cordials  and  delicacies,  and 
many  little  tokens  of  sympathy  are  in  abundance,  and, 
for  the  past  day  or  two,  the  sick  have  had  something 
better  than  mere  army  rations.  They  now  feel  that 
they  are  not  forgotten.  Their  hearts  are  cheered  and 
encouraged.  Beautiful  visions  of  wives  and  mothers 
and  sisters  are  brought  vividly  before  them;  a  Sab- 
bath calm  pervades  the  whole  scene,  while  we  seem 
to  hear,  audibly,  the  words :  "  Blessed  are  the  merci- 
ful, for  they  shall  obtain  mercy."  "  It  is  more  blessed 
to  give  than  to  receive."  Blessings,  rich  blessings — 
blessings  in  time  and  blessings  in  eternity — rest  upon 
the  noble  women  of  the  land,  who  remember  the  sick 
and  wounded  soldier,  and  who,  for  his  comfort,  ply 
the  busy  needle  with  such  skill  and  industry !  The 
blessings  of  him  who  was  ready  to  perish  shall  come 
upon  them,  and  their  noble  deeds  will  be  had  in  ever- 
lasting remembrance !  Never,  till  they  stand  before 
Jesus  in  glory,  will  they  fully  know  the  good  they  have 
accomplished,  the  hungry  they  have  fed,  the  naked 
they  have  clothed,  the  sick  they  have  visited,  and  the 
dying  they  have  soothed. 

Am  I  correct  in  saying  that  we  had  the  ministra- 
tions of  angels  ? 


68  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF  ARMY   LIFE. 

THE  CHRISTIAN  SOLDIER  s  LAST  VICTORY — A  THRILL- 
ING SCENE. 

The  circumstances  under  which  any  remark  is  made, 
or  quotation  repeated,  often  invest  that  remark  or 
quotation  with  additional  interest.  This  is  specially 
true  of  some  of  the  most  beautiful  and  familiar  of  our 
sacred  lyrics.  How  often  does  the  reading  or  singing 
of  some  old  familiar  hymn  awaken  in  one's  bosom  the 
tenderest  memories  of  the  past,  or  the  sweetest  re- 
membrances of  some  dear  friend,  long  since  gone  to 
rest !  How  often  does  some  old,  simple  melody,  which 
fashionable  choirs,  in  the  rage  for  operatic  singing, 
have  condemned  as  obsolete  and  in  bad  taste,  carry 
us  away  back,  by  the  mere  force  of  association,  to 
scenes  of  childhood,  when  we  knelt  beside  a  now 
sainted  mother,  and  felt  her  hand  laid  affectionately 
upon  our  head,  as  we  repeated  the  beautiful  little 
prayer — 

"  Now  I  lay  me  down  to  sleep !  " 

We  seem  to  see  that  dear  mother  again,  and  hear 
that  loved  voice  that  so  often  soothed  our  childhood's 
sorrows;  and  we  again  see  that  dear  old  home,  and 
brothers  and  sisters,  some  in  the  grave,  and  others 
"  scattered  far  and  wide,  by  mountain,  stream,  and 
sea."  We  stand  again  in  that  peaceful  old  graveyard, 
where  the  grass  is  growing  green  on  many  a  grave, 
and  where,  perhaps,  we  have  shed  many  a  bitter  tear ; 
or  we  are  carried  away  by  the  force  of  association,  to 
some  little  room,  where  a  dear  Christian  friend  calmly 
and  peacefully  entered  the  valley  of  the  shadow  of 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY   LIFE.  69 

death,  and  we  seem  to  hear  again  his  shouts  of  tri- 
umph, as  he  neared  the  celestial  city,  "Thanks  be  to 
God,  who  giveth  us  the  victory  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ ! " 

There  is  one  hymn  which,  perhaps,  more  than  any 
other,  awakens  sweet  a/nd  tender  emotions  in  the  truly 
Christian  heart,  because  of  its  frequent  association 
with  all  that  is  peaceful,  hopeful,  and  glorious  in 
death-bed  experiences.  The  hymn  referred  to  con- 
tains the  following  sweet  and  soul-thrilling  lines : 

"  Jesus  can  make  a  dying  bed 

Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are ; 
While  on  his  breast  I  lean  my  head, 
And  sweetly  breathe  my  life  out  there." 

These  lines  have  always  been  peculiarly  interesting 
to  me,  as  expressing  the  calm  repose  and  childlike  con- 
fidence which  the  believer  enjoys  while  "  waiting,  only 
waiting,  till  the  dawning  of  the  day,"  when  he  shall 
be  wafted  to  the  realms  of  immortality.  But  to  some 
whose  duties  called  them  to  minister  to  the  wants  of 
the  sick  and  wounded  in  the  hospital  at  Raleigh,  they 
are  invested  with  more  than  common  interest.  When- 
ever I  hear  them  read  or  sung,  they  bring  before  me 
one  of  the  most  thrillingly  interesting  and  peaceful 
death-beds  I  have  ever  seen. 

Among  those  brought  from  Princeton,  spoken  of  in 
a  preceding  chapter,  was  a  young  man,  very  severely 
wounded.  There  was  something  about  him  which  was 
very  prepossessing.  He  had  such  an  air  of  manly 
dignity,  intelligence,  and  refinement,  that  no  one  could 
be  long  beside  him  without  feeling  a  deep  interest  in 


70  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

him,  and  having  the  desire  to  render  him  as  comfort- 
able as  possible.  Shortly  after  he  arrived,  the  sur- 
geons decided  that  amputation  of  the  leg  was  abso- 
lutely necessary.  A  few  hours  before  the  operation 
was  performed,  I  had  a  long  and  interesting  conver- 
sation with  him.  He  said  that  he  was  blessed  with 
kind,  Christian  parents,  who  had  set  before  him  a 
godly  example.  He  made  very  special  reference  to 
his  mother,  speaking  of  her  in  the  most  respectful  and 
affectionate  language.  With  tenderest  emotion,  he 
spoke  of  his  being  a  child  of  many  prayers — the  young- 
est of  the  family — and  how  peaceful  and  happy  was 
home — dear,  sweet  home — sanctified  by  the  daily  of- 
ferings on  the  family  altar!  "And  I  may  never  see 
home  again — I  may  die  here,  far  from  friends,  and — 
and — 0,  if  I  could  just  get  home  ! " 

He  spoke  these  words  in  a  low,  sad  tone,  while  a  tear 
glistened  on  his  cheek  and  his  whole  body  quivered  in 
agony. 

"And  if  you  were  to  die  here,"  I  asked,  "what  do 
you  think  would  be  your  prospects  for  eternity?  Do 
you  feel  prepared  to  meet  God?" 

"No,"  said  he,  "I  am  afraid  not.  At  least  I  don't 
feel  happy  in  the  thought  of  dying.  I  know  that  God 
is  merciful,  that  the  Savior  died  for  me ;  and  whether 
1  live  or  die,  I  am  determined,  through  grace,  to  put 
my  trust  in  him,  yet  I  want  something." 

"  Have  you  ever  been  a  professor,  of  religion — are 
you  a  member  of  any  Church  ?  "  I  inquired. 

"No,  I  am  not,"  he  answered,  "and  yet  I  think  I 
have  sometimes  enjoyed  religion.  But  I  am  not  satis- 
fied— there  is  something  wanting." 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  71 

"Are  you  trying  to  throw  yourself,  as  a  poor,  lost 
sinner,  on  the  mercy  of  God  in  Christ?" 

"I  am  trying  to  do  so,"  he  answered;  "for  although 
I  have  not  followed  the  example  of  wicked  men  in  the 
army — such  as  swearing  and  drinking  and  gambling — 
yet  I  have  not  read  my  Bible,  nor  prayed  as  I  should 
have  done.  I  feel  I  am  a  poor,  unworthy  sinner,  and 
I  pray  to  God  for  mercy." 

I  tried  to  encourage  him  by  repeating  the  blessed 
invitations  of  Christ  himself,  and  urging  upon  his  at- 
tention the  glorious  truth  that  "  God  is  love."  Poor 
boy !  his  sufferings  were  very  great,  but  scarcely  a 
murmur  escaped  his  lips. 

In  the  afternoon  he  was  carried  into  the  operating- 
room,  and  his  leg  amputated.  While  the  wound  was 
being  dressed,  he  raised  his  hand,  and  laying  it  on  my 
shoulder,  as  I  moistened  his  lips  with  wine  and  water, 
he  whispered  to  me: 

"  0,  I  have  such  a  good  mother !  if  she  knew" — 

A  cry  of  pain,  occasioned  by  the  surgeon's  needle, 
closed  the  sentence.  I  gathered  from  these  words 
that,  in  the  midst  of  terrible  suffering,  visions  of  home 
and  of  a  dear,  kind  mother  flitted  before  him,  and,  no 
doubt,  he  longed  to  lay  his  weary  head  once  more  on 
her  bosom.  0,  the  sweet,  tender,  holy  power  of  a 
mother !  How  beautiful  the  web  of  love  which  she 
weaves  and  throws  around  her  loved  ones,  so  that, 
wherever  they  may  wander,  they  feel  as  if  mother  is 
still  near  them!  I  have  been  among  the  sick,  the 
wounded,  and  the  dying,  in  the  hospitals  and  on  the 
field  of  battle,  and  have  looked  upon  scenes  of  suffer- 
ing which  no  pen  can  describe.  I  have  gone  from  one 


72  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

dying  soldier  to  another,  hurried  to  the  funeral  of  one 
and  then  of  another,  and  back  again  to  my  post  beside 
the  hard,  hard  pillow  on  which  others  were  struggling 
with  the  last  enemy.  I  have  knelt  on  the  battlefield 
to  pray  with  the  dying  soldier  as  his  life-blood  oozed 
away,  and  his  eyes  were  growing  dim  in  death.  And  I 
make  this  record  for  you,  0  mothers,  that  next  only 
to  the  Savior — second  only  to  the  blessed  name  "  JE- 
SUS"— the  dying  ones  have  murmured  in  their  last 
moments,  and  breathed  in  their  last  prayers,  the  en- 
dearing words,  "  MOTHER  !  HOME  ! "  Your  son  may 
be  thoughtless  and  wayward,  and  it  may  seem  as  if 
your  pious  example  and  oft-repeated  injunctions  have 
been  all  in  vain,  and  your  prayers  all  unanswered; 
nevertheless,  remember  that  you  have  not  only  the 
word  of  the  Faithful  Promiser  to  encourage  you,  but 
you  have  under  your  control  the  purest  and  most  ten- 
der sympathies  of  the  human  heart,  through  which 
you  may  exert  the  most  powerful  influence  for  good, 
long  after  your  son  has  left  your  roof,  and  even  when 
the  grass  is  growing  green  upon  your  grave. 

Two  days  after  the  operation,  it  was  my  painful 
duty  to  inform  my  young  friend  that  his  days,  yea,  his 
hours,  were  numbered. 

"  Would  you  be  disappointed,"  said  I,  "  if  you  were 
told  that  you  would  not  get  better?" 

"Well — yes,  I  would,"  was  his  answer.  "Do  you 
think  I  won't  get  better?" 

Poor  boy!  even  then  Death's  dark  shadow  was  upon 
him.  I  answered,  that  it  was  not  possible  for  him  to 
live. 

"If  that  is  so,"  said  he,  with  an  anxious,  disap- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY  LIFE.  73 

pointed  look,  "I  hope  God  will  have  mercy  upon  me, 
and  receive  me  unto  himself.  How  long  will  I  live, 
do  you  think — a  few  days  ?  " 

"  No,"  I  answered,  "  not  many  hours." 

"I  wanted  to  see  father  and  mother — but — but — 
well,  I'll  try  to  be  resigned.  Pray  with  me,  chaplain." 

I  knelt  down  beside  him,  and  commended  him  to 
the  tender  mercy  of  that  God  who  hath  declared  him- 
self as  the  Lord  God  merciful  and  gracious,  slow  to 
anger,  and  plenteous  in  mercy.  He  followed  the  prayer 
audibly,  and  responded  with  fervor:  I  then  repeated 
some  of  those  texts  of  Scripture  which  seemed  most 
appropriate  to  his  condition,  after  which  I  inquired 
whether  he  could  trust  in  Jesus  as  his  all-sufficient 
Savior?" 

"I  don't  want  to  deceive  myself,"  said  he,  "but  I 
think  I  can  say  I  trust  in  Christ.  I  have  nowhere 
else  to  go.  I  'm  a  poor  sinner,  but  I  think  Jesus  will 
not  cast  me  off." 

He  then  requested  me  to  write,  at  his  dictation,  a 
letter  to  his  father  and  mother.  I  did  so;  and  from 
what  he  directed  to  be  written,  I  was  enabled  to  know 
more  fully  the  state  of  his  mind.  Having  finished  his 
little  worldly  business,  and  requested  his  pillow  to  be 
adjusted,  he  said : 
."Now  I'm  tired;  I'll  rest  a  little." 

Others  in  the  hospital  required  my  attention,  and  I 
left  him  for  an  hour  or  so.  On  returning  to  him,  I 
found  that  he  was  fast  sinking — his  sufferings  were 
very  great.  As  soon  as  he  caught  a  glimpse  of  me, 
he  gasped — 

"  You  're  the  one  I  want.     Come,  stand  by  me,  and 
7 


74  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

speak  to  me  of  Jesus.  0,  chaplain,"  said  the  dying 
boy,  with  thrilling  earnestness,  "you  won't  leave  me, 
will  you?  0,  don't  leave  me — wait  with  me  till  all 
is  over,  and  speak  to  me !  0,  this  pain !  Jesus — 
Jesus,  bless  me — keep  me  ! " 

I  repeated  to  him  part  of  the  fourteenth  chapter  of 
John's  Gospel,  and  when  I  came  to  the  words,  "  I  WILL 

NOT  LEAVE  YOU  COMFORTLESS ;  I  WILL  COME  TO  YOU  " — 

a  sweet  but  melancholy  smile  lit  up  his  countenance. 
"  Can  you  take  these  words  and  apply  them  to  your- 
self?" I  asked. 

"Yes,  yes,  bless  the  Lord!  I  can — I  can!"  he 
answered,  warmly. 

"Do  you  remember  any  particular  hymn  your 
mother  used  to  sing?"  I  inquired. 

"Yes,  a  great  many,"  he  answered. 

"  Do  you  remember  this — '  Jesus  can  make  a '  " — 

"  I  know  it,"  said  he — 

'"Jesus  can  make  a  dying  bed 

Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are ; 
While  on  his  breast  I  lean  my  head 
And  sweetly  breathe  my  life  out  there.' 

"  I  'm  trying  to  lean  on  Jesus.  I  think — yes,  I  know 
he  won't  cast  me  off." 

"Do  you  think  Jesus  loves  you?"  I  inquired. 

"Yes,  yes,"  he  replied,  with  great  earnestness, 
"Jesus  loves  me — I  know  Jesus  loves  me!" 

"Here  is  a  hymn  I  like,"  he  continued,  and  imme- 
diately commenced  singing — 

"  Say,  comrades,  will  you  meet  me  ? 
Say,  comrades,  will  you  meet  me? 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE.  75 

Say,  comrades,  will  you  meet  me 

On  Canaan's  happy  shore? 

Yes,  by  the  grace  of  God,  I  '11  meet  you ; 

Yes,  by — the — grace  " — 

He  could  sing  no  more! 

"I'm  too  weak — I'm  too  weak  to  sing  any  more, 
chaplain — but  I'll  sing  in  heaven,  won't  I?" 

The  hospital  was  hushed,  and  the  nurses,  who  had 
gathered  round  this  wondrous  scene,  were  in  tears. 
Turning  to  the  nurse  who  attended  him — a  member 
of  his  own  regiment — he  thanked  him  for  his  kind- 
ness, and,  stretching  out  his  hand  to  him,  said,  with 
deep  pathos: 

"Will  you  meet  me  in  heaven?" 

In  a  few  minutes  after  this, Death's  dark,  mysterious 
shadow  passed  over  him.  I  thought  he  was  gone,  but 
he  rallied  again  for  a  short  time.  Suddenly  looking 
up  in  my  face,  he  said : 

"What  is  your  name?" 

I  told  him. 

"Well,"  said  he,  "I'm  so  glad  you've  been  with 
me — we  '11  soon  part — but,  0  !  we  '11  meet — in — 
heaven — won't  we?" 

"Yes,"  I  said,  "by  the  grace  of  God,  I'll  meet  you 
in  heaven!" 

"It's   getting  very  dark,  chaplain — I  can't — see." 

"It  will  soon  be  light,"  I  replied,  "for  you  will 
soon  be  where  there  is  no  night." 

He  asked  for  some  water,  and  after  he  had  taken  a 
little,  he  stretched  out  both  hands,  and  in  a  mournful, 
pathetic  manner,  cried  out : 

"Lord  Jesus,  come  and  take  me!     Blessed  Savior, 


76  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

take  me  in  thy  arms — I  am  so  weary — I  'm  so  weary ! 
Come,  dear  Savior,  come!" 

"Is  the  Savior  precious  to  you?"  I  inquired. 

"Yes,  he  is  precious,"  was  the  reply. 

"Do  you  think  he  loves  you?"  I  again  inquired. 
With  thrilling  earnestness,  though  with  feeble  voice, 
he  replied : 

"I  know  he  loves  me — 0!  yes,  I  know  he  loves 
me.  And  now  I'm  going,"  he  continued;  "I'll  soon 
be  in  heaven." 

He  fixed  a  long,  wistful  gaze  upon  me,  and  his 
countenance  assumed  once  more  the  dark  hue  of 
death.  Raising,  with  great  effort,  both  hands,  he 
clasped  me  round  the  neck  as  I  stooped  over  him, 
and,  drawing  me  down,  kissed  me  affectionately,  and 
whispered : 

"When  you  see— my — mother,  tell  her — I — I — 
died  a  Christian  and — and" — 

The  sentence  was  finished  in  heaven!  Dear,  pa- 
tient boy !  when  torn,  mangled,  dying,  thy  brave 
heart  yearned  for  home,  and  a  mother's  tender  care 
and  soothing  words;  but  now  thou  art  safely  in  the 
home  of  God.  But  if  departed  spirits  ever  look 
down  upon  this  earth,  perhaps  thou  art  hovering  near 
me,  as  I  pen  these  lines  to  the  praise  of  that  Savior 
with  whom  thou  art  now  dwelling!  No  wonder  1 
contrasted  the  condition  of  this  boy  with  the  lines 
which  he  quoted: 

"  Jesus  can  make  a  dying  bed 

Feel  soft  as  downy  pillows  are." 

"Soft!" — a  little  straw  laid  on  a  few  rough  boards! 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  77 

"Downy  pillows ! " — his  weary  head  was  laid  on  a  hard 
knapsack !  Yet  Jesus  made  that  hard  pillow  soft,  and 
around  that  humble  cot  on  which  lay  this  suffering 
boy,  angels  from  heaven  were  hovering,  and,  when  his 
last  battle  was  fought,  they  wafted  him  to  the  bosom 
of  Jesus. 

So  died  J.  L.  Ransom,  of  the  Thirty-fourth  Regi- 
ment Ohio  Volunteers. 


CHAPTER  V. 

"LISTEN!  I  hear  the  harmonies  of  heaven, 
From  sphere  to  sphere,  and  from  the  boundless  round, 
Reechoing  bliss  to  those  serenest  hights 
Where  angels  sit  and  strike  their  emulous  harps, 
Wreathed  round  with  flowers  and  diamonded  with  dew — 
Such  dew  as  gemm'd  the  ever-during  blooms 
Of  Eden,  winterless;  or  as  all  night 
The  Tree  of  Life  wept  from  its  every  leaf 
Unwithering." — FESTUS. 

FLOWERS  FOR  THE  SICK. 

IF  it  could  not  be  said  of  Raleigh  and  vicinity  that 
it  was  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  it  might, 
at  least,  be  said  to  be  a  land  abounding  with  flowers. 
Perhaps  the  veterans  of  some  Ohio  regiments  who  have 
often  done  picket  duty  on  some  of  the  bridle-paths 
leading  to  "  everywhere  and  nowhere "  in  the  woods, 
and  whose  eyes  may  glance  over  these  pages,  may 
say,  "Yes,  it  was  a  land  of  snakes,  too!"  Well,  it 
is  conceded  there  were  snakes  in  abundance.  Ugh ! 
the  very  thought  of  them  makes  one  feel  "  shivery ! " 
But,  then,  let  us  forget  the  snakes  just  now,  and 
speak  of  the  flowers. 

If  the  writer  were  inclined  to  be  a  pantheist,  his 
pantheism  would  be  limited ;  that  is,  every  thing 
would  not  be  God,  nor  God  every  thing.  He  would 
(78) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  79 

make  a  selection  from  the  elements  of  universal  deity, 
and  would  be  in  danger  of  becoming  an  out-and- 
out  heathen — even  supposing  pantheism  to  be  only 
a  more  philosophical  system  of  paganism.  There 
would  be  but  three  elements — or,  if  it  suit  better, 
three  idols — he  would  worship ;  namely,  Children, 
Flowers,  and  Music.  Or  perhaps  he  might  associate 
the  three  with  the  idea  of  unity,  and  thus  have  but 
one  idol,  a  trinity;  for  children  and  flowers  seem  to 
be  always  associated  together,  and  wherever  there  are 
children  and  flowers,  there  is  music  too.  We  might 
go  further.  Children,  flowers,  and  music  are  asso- 
ciated with  all  our  ideas  of  heaven,  and  there  is  not 
the  least  doubt  that  there  are  myriads  of  radiant, 
happy  children  in  the  better  land,  whose  dwelling- 
places  are  amid  scenery  of  exquisite  beauty  and  fade- 
less splendor,  and  where  there  is  breathed  perpetually 
the  sweetest  music.  Yea,  may  there  not  be  infant 
choirs  in  heaven,  whose  melodies  will  forever  be  the 
glorious  echo  of  the  child-loving  Redeemer's  words — 
"  For  of  such  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  !  "  May 
there  not  be  scenes  of  surpassing  loveliness  there? — 
and  may  not  every  hill  and  vale  of  that  blessed  land 
be  beautified  with  the  richest  treasures  of  the  floral 
creation  ?  And  what  of  heaven's  music  ?  What  shall 
be  said  of  those  grand  oratorios  performed  by  the  in- 
numerable hosts  of  angels  and  redeemed  saints  before 
the  great  white  throne,  when  the  grand  choral  sym- 
phonies will  be  as  the  voice  of  many  waters  ? 

Speaking  of  flowers  has  led  my  erratic  pen  from 
the  line  of  narrative.  This  is  somewhat  natural,  al- 
though it  is  generally  admitted  that  there  is  not  much 


80  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

of  poetic  sentiment,  except  the  epic,  perhaps,  about 
camp  life.  What  I  intended  to  say  was,  that  one  of 
the  most  pleasant  employments  I  had  while  at  Raleigh 
was  to  go  out  to  the  woods  every  morning  and  gather 
as  many  flowers  as  I  could  carry,  and  make  bouquets 
for  the  sick  and  wounded  in  the  hospital.  The  bou- 
quets were  given  in  the  name  of  mother  or  sister,  or 
somebody  else's  sister,  whose  likeness  they  had  laid 
away  snugly  in  their  knapsack,  or  placed  securely  in 
their  bosom.  A  glad  smile  and  warm  pressure  of  the 
hand  often  told,  more  eloquently  than  words,  how  ac- 
ceptable the  little  gifts  were.  Some  of  the  most 
pleasing  remembrances  of  hospital  duties  and  expe- 
riences while  at  Raleigh  are  connected  with  the  dis- 
tribution of  those  flowers  among  the  sick  and  wounded, 
and  not  a  few  truly  pathetic  scenes  rise  up  before  me 
as  I  pen  these  lines.  Too  hallowed,  however,  by  the 
sweeter  and  more  tender  and  sacred  of  human  sensi- 
bilities, to  be  revealed  to  every  eye,  they  are  vailed 
and  laid  away  in  the  sanctuary  of  the  heart,  with 
other  sacred  memories  of  the  past. 

GATHERING  FLOWERS  UNDER  DIFFICULTIES — A 
PLEASANT  POSITION. 

On  a  beautiful  morning  in  July,  in  search  of  flow- 
ers, as  usual,  for  the  sick  and  wounded,  I  got  my 
friend  Byron  to  accompany  me  to  the  woods,  a  little 
north  of  the  camp. 

While  we  were  busy  at  our  pleasant  task,  we  were 
startled  by  the  report  of  a  musket  and  the  whiz  of  a 
ball  in  too  close  proximity  for  our  comfort.  Bang! 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  81 

•whiz !  hum !  whir-r !  There  goes  another  right  over 
our  heads.  Instinctively  we  make  for  the  nearest 
trees,  and  get  as  close  to  mother  Earth  as  possible. 
While  talking,  whiz  goes  a  ball  between  Byron  and 
myself.  We  crawl  closer  to  the  tree.  Bang !  bang ! 
whir-r !  shug !  The  ball  struck  the  tree  I  was  lean- 
ing against,  and  I  felt  the  jar  very  perceptibly !  What 
in  the  world  does  all  this  mean?  Bang!  bang!  whiz! 
hum !  whir-r !  again,  and  the  balls  come  thicker  and 
faster.  There  was,  after  a  few  minutes — it  seemed 
hours — a  lull;  and,  deeming  discretion  the  greater 
part  of  valor,  we  threw  a  hill  between  us  and  the 
place  whence  we  thought  the  firing  proceeded — at 
least,  we  put  ourselves  behind  the  hill,  which  amounts 
to  the  same  thing.  I  never  let  go  my  flowers ;  but, 
somehow  or  other,  whether  they  had  wilted  by  being 
kept  in  the  sun,  or  whether  they  had  been  too  roughly 
treated  for  their  delicate  organizations,  or  whether  my 
sense  of  beauty  had  been  disturbed  somewhat  by  be- 
ing under  fire,  or  whether  the  ideal  had  given  way  to 
the  intensely  actual,  I  will  not  undertake  to  determine. 
Certain  it  is,  however,  my  flowers  were  not  so  beau- 
tiful as  usual  that  morning ;  and  hereafter  wild  honey- 
suckles, forget-me-nots,  blue-bells,  and  fox-gloves  will 
forcibly  remind  me  of  Minie  balls.  The  whole  was 

caused  by  a  mistake  of  Captain  T ,  who  had  just 

come  into  camp  with  his  company.  They  were 
firing  off  their  pieces,  and  only  mistook  the  tar- 
get— that  was  all !  I  have  a  quarrel  with  the  cap- 
tain yet  for  that,  and  I  here  revenge  myself  by 
putting  his  initials — S.  T. — in  good  type,  and  wishing 
him  swung  off  into — matrimony  ! '  Hope  I  '11  be  there 


82  LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

to  perform  the  execution.      Rather  guess   the   knot 
won't  slip. 

Apropos  to  the  foregoing,  I  may  give  the  follow- 
ing as 

A  SOLEMN  JOKE  AT  THE  CHAPLAIN'S  EXPENSE. 

One  morning,  when  visiting  the  hospital,  and  speak- 
ing an  encouraging  word  to  each  patient  individually, 
I  came  to  one  who  had  been  severely  wounded,  and 
whose  sufferings  the  day  before,  while  having  his 
wounds  dressed,  were  very  severe.  He  was  deathly 
pale,  and  had  a  very  sad,  desponding  expression  of 
countenance.  Believing  more  in  a  good-humored 
smile  and  a  genial,  encouraging  word,  as  being  bet- 
ter, both  for  moral  and  physical  health,  than  demure 
looks  and  sanctimonious  sighs,  I  did  the  best  I  could 
to  comfort  and  encourage  him.  In  doing  so,  both  re- 
ligion and  patriotism  were  spoken  of.  Among  other 
encouraging  things,  I  told  him — "  That  very  likely  he 
would  go  home  a  cripple ;  that  he  would  have  but  one 
leg  on  which  to  journey  along  through  life;  that  he 
might,  perhaps,  have  some  serious  difficulties  to  con- 
tend with,  but  it  would  always  be  a  great  comfort  for 
him  to  reflect  that  he  had  suffered  in  a  good  cause; 
that  he  had  shouldered  his  musket  in  defense  of  his 
country;  that  his  wounds  were  honorable  to  him,  and 
that  God  would  bless  him" — and  so  on. 

"He's  a  secesh,  chaplain — he's  a  secesh!"  said  a 
wounded  boy,  occupying  the  next  bunk.  "He  was 
wounded  when  bushwhacking  us  on  the  Flat-Top  road. 
I  got  shot  by  some  of  the  cusses  myself.  Yes,  chap- 
lain, he 's  a  secesh !  " 

* 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE.  83 

"Ah!  hem!  well!  yes — hem!"  stammered  I,  feel- 
ing somewhat  up  a  stump.  "  Secesh !  ah — consider- 
able of  a  mistake,"  I  continued,  trying  to  recover  my 
equilibrium,  and  as  gracefully  as  possible  remove  the 
underpinning  of  the  consolatory  edifice  I  had  been  so 
industriously  and  hopefully  building. 

"But  he  is  sorry  for  what  he  has  done,  and  says 
he  did  wrong  in  joining  the  rebs,"  said  the  boy,  apol- 
ogizing as  much  as  possible  for  the  wrong-doer,  and 
magnanimously  trying  to  take  the  edge  off  his  keen 
accusation. 

Knowing  that  this  little  incident  would  likely  get 
thoroughly  ventilated,  and  be  a  standing  joke,  the 
chaplain  was  very  careful  to  tell  it  to  two  of  the  most 
remorseless  jokers  of  the  regiment — Colonel  Coleman 
and  Captain  Duncan.  As  it  was,  however,  the  chap- 
lain was  bored  slightly,  now  and  again,  by  a  good- 
humored  reference  to  the  circumstance. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

A  WOMAN'S  ESTIMATE  OP  A  WOMAN'S  VALUE — PRACTICAL  MECHANICS 

AND  ENGINEERS OFFICIAL  THEORIES  AND  UNOFFICIAL  REALITIES 

BRIDGE  AND    FERRY    ENGINEERING A   SOUTHERN    BAPTIST    BROTH- 
ER'S PITY  FOR  UNCLE    SAM'S  SOLDIER-MECHANICS. 

WHAT  is  A  WOMAN  WORTH? 

DON'T  screw  your  mouth  into  a  contemptuous  sneer, 
nor  draw  down  your  eyebrows  into  a  disdainful  smile, 
my  bachelor  friend,  at  what,  perhaps,  you  think  the 
ominous  title  of  this  paragraph.  It  is  not  intended 
to  give  a  homily  on  woman's  rights  nor  woman's 
sphere.  By  no  means.  Such  work  would  be  super- 
fluous now.  If  woman  has  not  asserted  both  her 
rights  and  her  sphere,  since  this  war  commenced, 
then  it  will  likely  never  be  done.  The  author  would 
state,  however,  with  becoming  modesty,  that  he  con- 
siders himself  quite  orthodox  on  the  "Woman's  Rights  " 
question,  and  that  he  is  a  firm  believer  in  the  doctrine 
first  proclaimed  in  Eden,  that  woman  is  man's  minis- 
tering angel,  and  that  hers  is  a  ministry  of  love  and 

joy- 
True,  woman  sometimes  falls  from  the  high  and  holy 

position  in  which  God  himself  placed  her ;  and  when 
she  does  fall,  she  falls  as  an  angel  of  light — her  de- 
scent is  terrific !     When  fulfilling  her  blessed  mission 
(84) 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  85 

of  love  and  gentleness,  she  diffuses  a  heavenly  calm 
and  peace  all  around,  and  makes  the  scene  of  her 
special  ministry — home,  sweet  home — 

"  The  dearest  spot  on  earth." 

But  when  her  fine  feelings  are  blunted,  her  sympa- 
thies chilled,  her  gentleness  destroyed,  her  generous, 
unselfish  spirit  quenched,  then  is  she  seen,  not  as  an 
angel  of  light,  but  as  a  fallen  spirit,  scattering  fire- 
brands, arrows,  and  death.  The  histories  of  our  Mar- 
thas and  Marys  are  beautiful  pictures  of  love  and 
gentleness — the  most  beautiful  seen  outside  of  heaven. 
The  histories  of  Herodias  and  Cleopatra  are  dark  pic- 
tures of  malignity  and  pride — the  darkest  outside  of 
hell.  A  wicked  man  is  barely  endurable;  a  wicked 
woman  is  shocking.  Low  brutality  in  man  excites 
your  indignation  and  scorn ;  in  woman  it  fills  you  with 
feelings  of  unutterable  shame.  A  swearing,  bluster- 
ing man,  who  deals  in  human  souls  and  bodies,  is 
simply  a  loathsome  brute,  whose  very  existence  you 
feel  to  be  a  huge  excrescence  on  the  body  politic,  and 
a  ghastly  mockery  of  modern  civilization.  A  vulgar, 
boastful,  cruel  slave-mistress  is  a  fiend  incarnate,  whose 
very  delicacy  of  organization  and  acute  sensibilities 
enable  her,  not  to  bruise  with  a  club  the  human  body, 
but  to  sting  with  the  keenest  anguish  the  human  heart. 
The  sight  of  a  drunken  man  wallowing  in  the  mire 
causes  a  feeling  of  pity,  or,  at  most,  of  disgust;  the 
sight  of  an  intoxicated  woman  causes  your  cheek  to 
mantle  with  shame ;  and,  for  the  sake  of  woman's  honor 
and  holy  position,  you  have  an  instinctive  dread  of 
others  seeing  the  abhorrent  sight  or  hearing  the  dread 


86  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

tale.  When  men  conceal  themselves  behind  trees, 
logs,  or  fences,  and  murder  unsuspecting  Union  men — 
as  has  been  done  every  day  in  rebeldom — the  most  in- 
tense indignation  is  aroused  in  every  noble  heart,  and 
swift  punishment  is  demanded  for  every  such  mur- 
derer; but  when  women  perform  the  same  dastardly 
deeds,  we  stand  aghast  at  the  fearful  revelation  of 
female  cruelty  and  degradation. 

At  one  time,  two  men  were  discovered  by  our 
"boys"  putting  poison  in  the  springs  near  one  of  the 
camps  in  the  valley — they  were  caught  in  the  very  act. 
In  twenty  minutes  these  same  would-be  assassins  were 
hanging  on  the  nearest  tree.  A  few  days  afterward, 
a  woman  sold  poisoned  cakes  to  some  in  our  regiment, 
and  two  purchasers  were  brought  to  death's  door  by 
them — and  what  was  done  ?  Nothing.  Why  ?  I  do  n't 
know,  unless  it  was  on  the  principle  that  the  woman 
who  could  fall  so  low  as  to  become  an  assassin,  was 
certainly  in  that  state  spoken  of  by  the  poet — 

"Where'er  I  am,  'tis  hell!  myself  am  hell!" 

These  remarks  are  induced  by  the  remembrance  of 
an  incident  which  took  place  during  our  campaign  in 
the  Kanawha  Valley.  Once,  when  traveling  between 
Gauley  Bridge  and  Charleston,  on  special  regimental 
business,  I  applied  at  what  was  styled  a  first-class 
Virginia  mansion  for  supplies  for  the  inner  man.  The 
cavalry  escort  with  which  I  had  been  favored  from 
Raleigh  had  turned  back,  and  as  they  had  led  me  on 
the  gallop  for  thirty  miles,  I  felt  disposed  to  rest  as 
well  as  eat.  The  information  had  been  volunteered 
to  me  by  a  half-secesh  trader  from  the  North — who 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OP  ARMY  LIFE.  87 

hadn't  soul  enough  to  see  his  country's  interests  ex- 
cept as  they  were  connected  with  his  two  hundred  per 
cent,  profit — that  the  mansion  in  question  was  inhab- 
ited by  the  genuine  Virginia  chivalry  from  the  eastern 
part  of  the  State ;  that  the  old  gentleman  was  an  aris- 
tocrat of  the  "first  families,"  and  the  daughters  were 
no  disgrace  to  the  old  "Norman  blood" — and  much 
more  to  the  same  sort. 

Dinner  being  over,  I  entered  the  parlor,  and,  taking 
up  a  richly-gilded  book  from  the  center-table,  I  pro- 
ceeded to  make  myself  comfortable  for  an  hour  or 
two.  A  dreamy,  pleasant  calm  soon  began  to  settle 
down  upon  me,  the  words  were  oddly  running  together, 
and  "  Nature's  sweet  restorer,  balmy  sleep,"  was  gently 
wooing  me,  when  I  was  startled  by  a  shrill  voice, 
speaking  so  harshly  and  abruptly  that  I  concluded 
some  sweet  domestic  misunderstanding  had  taken 
place  among  the  fair  representatives  of  the  chivalry. 
Bang!  went  one  door,  and  slam!  went  another,  and, 
in  a  twinkling,  a  fair  young  lady  of  some  five-and- 
thirty  summers — or  winters,  if  you  like — was  stand- 
ing, or  rather  stamping,  before  me,  in  the  most  ap- 
proved style  of  feminine  scolding. 

"Dog-on  them  niggers!  Thar  again — I'll  be  dog- 
on'd  if  they  hain't  torn  my  collar,  and  spoil't  my 
handkerchief — and — and — blast  'em  all,  they  ain't 
worth  their  necks  !  0,  if  I  had  the  training  of  'em, 
I'll  be  bound  I'd  make  'em  mind!  You  Sal,  thar! 
tote  them  'ar  things  this  way,  or  " — 

What  the  terrible  "or"  was  designed  to  convey  to 
Sal  I  don't  know;  but  the  fair  beauty's  foot  went 


88  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

down   on   the   floor   with    such    an    emphasis,  that  it 
seemed  to  say,  "  You  '11  catch  it,  by  thunder  ! " 

Thinking  this  exhibition  of  ruffled  temper  was  not 
designed  for  strangers'  eyes  or  ears,  I  made  a  slight 
movement  by  way  of  announcing  my  presence.  But 
this  was  entirely  unnecessary,  and  I  might  have  saved 
myself  some  little  sympathy  I  felt  for  the  lady  caught 
in  the  undignified  position  of  a  termagant,  for  she  was 
aware  of  my  presence,  and  turned  toward  me  with 
flushed  face — not  of  shame,  but  of  passion — and  apos- 
trophized me  thus: 

"  What  a  plague  them  niggers  are  !  Talk  about  'em 
taking  care  of  'emselves,  and  all  that  'ar!  Dog-on 't, 
they  don't  know  nothin'.  I've  got  to  follow  'em  up, 
and  follow  'em  up  everywhar,  and  show  'em  how  to  do 
this  and  how  to  do  that,  and  ef  I  don't  watch  'em, 
and  see  that  every  thing  is  done  as  I  want  it,  why  it 
ain't  done  at  all.  They  are  a  lazy,  good-for-nothin' 
set — now  that's  p'intedly  so.  An'  the  more  you  do 
for  'em,  the  worse  they  get.  They  have  no  grati- 
tude— not  they." 

Much  in  the  same  polite  and  lady -like  style  she  rat- 
tled off  her  eminently  gracious  remarks,  and  thus 
gave  free  vent  to  her  overtaxed  and  amiable  temper — 
as  much,  perhaps,  for  her  own  comfort  as  my  edifica 
tion — and  she  finally  subsided  into  a  calmer  mood  and 
into  the  sofa  at  the  same  time.  I  frankly  acknowl- 
edge that  I  felt  first  amused,  and  then  mischievous. 
Keeping  my  face  as  grave  as  any  New  England  dea- 
con's, I  blandly  questioned  her  regarding  slaveholding 
kindness,  the  strong  bond  of  affection  between  master 
and  slave,  so  pathetically  dwelt  upon  by  novelists  and 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  89 

ministers  of  the  South-side  school,  and  finally  wound 
up  by  inquiring  into  the  market  value  of  human  prop- 
erty in  the  Kanawha  Valley.  All  of  this  seemed  to 
have  a  very  soothing  effect  on  her  irritated  nervous 
system,  and  she  spoke  and  acted  very  much  as  a  high- 
toned,  noble  Virginia  lady  might  be  expected  to  do. 
In  fact,  she  became  quite  communicative,  and  chatted 
away  as  if  nothing  had  transpired  to  ruffle  her  amiable 
temper.  In  answer  to  a  question  relative  to  the  value 
of  slave  property,  she  said : 

"Women  don't  bring  as  good  a  price  as  men.  You 
can't  buy  a  man  for  much  less  than  fifteen  hundred. 
But,  law  me!  men  ain't  worth  that  no-how.  Women 
ain't  worth  near  as  much." 

"What  is  a  woman  worth?"  I  politely  inquired. 

"Well,  that  woman  thar" — pointing  outside  to  a 
colored  woman  busy  with  laundry  work — "  cost  pretty 
high.  You  can't  buy  much  of  a  woman  for  less  than 
eight  or  nine  hundred — no,  sir,  a  woman  that  is  any 
thing  of  a  woman  can't  be  got  for  much  less." 

This  last  was  too  much  for  me.  It  seemed  as  if 
some  horrid  monster,  half  brute,  half  devil,  had  hissed 
in  my  ears,  "  You  can 't  buy  much  of  a  woman  for 
less  than  eight  or  nine  hundred  dollars!"  And  this 
was  spoken  of  woman  by  a  woman !  I  had  read  and 
heard  much  of  the  horrid  character  of  the  God-ac- 
cursed institution  of  slavery,  but  I  never  felt  such  a 
thrill  of  horror,  such  a  painful  sensation  of  outraged 
womanly  dignity  and  honor,  as  I  then  experienced. 
"  MUCH  OF  A  WOMAN  ! "  Woman,  her  personal  appear- 
ance, her  age,  her  abilities  as  cook  or  laundress,  her 
affections  as  daughter  or  wife  or  mother,  her  keen 
8 


90  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

sensibilities,  her  womanly  delicacy — herself,  soul  and 
body,  put  in  the  balance,  and  her  price  estimated  by 
woman  at  so  many  hundred  dollars,  more  or  less !  If 
a  low,  coarse,  blear-eyed  villain  of  a  slave-trader  had 
uttered  these  words,  perhaps  the  revulsion  of  feeling 
would  not  have  been  so  great;  but  that  a  lady  should 
utter  such  sentiments,  in  a  cool,  deliberate  manner, 
was  absolutely  horrid.  I  had  a  decided  impression 
that  I  was  rapidly  falling  from  grace — that  is,  the 
grace  of  believing  every  lady  an  angel — and,  lest  such 
a  calamity  might  befall  me,  I  rose  and  proceeded  on 
my  journey.  For  days  the  words  seemed  to  hiss  in 
my  ears,  and  I  felt  that  this  apparently  trivial  inci- 
dent was  additional  proof  that  slavery  pollutes  what- 
ever it  touches. 


ROUGH  AND  READY  ENGINEERS — AXES  AND   RIFLES. 

In  April,  1861,  when  the  Massachusetts  troops,  un- 
der command  of  glorious  old  Butler,  marched  through 
Annapolis,  on  their  way  to  Washington  City,  deter- 
mined to  gain  the  Capital  either  through  or  over 
traitor  mobs — it  made  little  difference  which — they 
found  the  only  locomotive  in  the  depot  disabled,  the 
railroad  track  torn  up,  and  the  bridges  burned.  It 
was  the  work  of  a  few  moments  to  find  men  in  the 
regiments  who  could  both  build,  repair,  and  run  a 
locomotive.  Others  could  be  found  who  had  experi- 
ence in  laying  railroad  track,  while  any  number  of 
practical  mechanics  and  engineers  stepped  out  of  the 
ranks,  and  volunteered  to  rebuild  the  bridges.  What 
occurred  then  with  the  brave  Massachusetts  soldiers, 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  91 

has  occurred  a  thousand  times  since,  in  all  portions  of 
the  army.  Unlike  the  armies  of  the  older  and  more 
warlike  nations  of  Europe,  which  are  composed  mostly 
of  professional  soldiers,  who  practically  know  but  lit- 
tle more  than  the  duties  which  pertain  to  a  military 
life,  our  armies  have  heen  made  up  of  practical  and 
experienced  mechanics  from  our  machine-shops — car- 
penters from  our  factories  and  boat-yards — molders 
and  workers  in  iron  from  our  foundries — practical  en- 
gineers, conductors,  and  brakesmen  from  our  rail- 
roads— steamboatmen  and  sailors  from  our  rivers, 
lakes,  and  sea-coasts — lumbermen  from  our  pine  for- 
ests, as  familiar  with  the  ax,  the  drag,  and  the  saw- 
mill as  a  lady  is  with  her  thimble  and  scissors — edit- 
ors, printers,  dentists,  doctors,  and  dancing-masters — 
shoemakers,  tailors,  and  bakers — not  forgetting  even 
preachers,  with  all  their  reported  leanings  in  the  chicken 
direction.  The  Eleventh  Ohio  was  a  fair  representa- 
tive of  the  army  in  general  for  mechanical,  scientific, 
and  literary  resources.  Bridges  could  be  built,  loco- 
motives repaired,  railroad  track  laid,  ferry-boats  built 
and  navigated,  saw-mills  erected  and  kept  running, 
roads  surveyed  and  made ;  ovens  built,  and  bread,  that 
would  have  driven  a  Frenchman  mad  with  envy,  baked 
in  them  ;  watches  repaired,  but  not  accurately  timed  ; 
teeth  extracted,  and  dental  work  performed  generally; 
type  set  up  and  newspapers  printed — vide  the  Weekly 
Invincible  or  Semi -Weekly  Eleventh — could  all  be  ac- 
complished within  the  limits  of  the  regiment. 

There  were  two  occasions  when  the  more  practical 
of  mechanical  and  engineering  skill  was  brought  into 
more  than  usual  prominence.  One  was  when  the 


92  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

Army  of  the  Kanawlia,  under  command  of  General 
J.  D.  Cox,  moved  for  the  first  time  up  the  valley. 
The  first  obstacle  that  required  the  special  attention 
of  the  engineers  was  the  Poco,  or  Pocotaligo  River. 
The  rebel  General  Wise  had  burned  the  bridge  on  his 
retreat  up  the  valley,  so  as  to  retard  the  progress  of 
the  Union  troops.  When  Cox's  division  arrived  at 
the  river,  it  could  be  easily  forded  at  several  places, 
but,  as  it  was  necessary  to  concentrate  the  troops  and 
receive  supplies  at  that  point  before  advancing  further, 
several  days  elapsed  before  it  was  deemed  proper  to 
cross.  In  the  mean  time,  the  river  had  been  swollen 
by  heavy  rains,  and  was  running  bank-full.  It  was 
necessary,  therefore,  to  adopt  some  means  to  effect  a 
crossing,  as  orders  had  been  given  for  an  immediate 
advance.  The  professional  engineer,  upon  whom  the 
duty  of  bridging  the  stream  devolved,  received  orders 
to  construct  a  bridge  immediately — in  obedience  to 
which  he  proceeded  to  select  a  site,  and  ordered  a 
detail  of  men  to  commence  the  work.  The  discovery 
was  made,  however,  that  while  there  were  workmen 
in  abundance,  there  were  no  tools  with  which  to  do 
the  work.  An  order  was  immediately  dispatched  to 
Ohio  for  the  necessary  tools,  and  the  prospect  was 
that  the  army  would  be  detained  for  at  least  a  week 
or  ten  days. 

It  was  suggested  to  General  Cox  that  Captain  Lane, 
who  was  a  practical  mechanic  himself,  and  in  com- 
mand of  a  company  mostly  made  up  of  experienced 
workmen,  might  be  of  considerable  service  in  erecting 
the  bridge.  The  captain  was  ordered  to  report  imme- 
diately at  head-quarters.  The  General  stated  the 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  93 

necessity  of  moving  forward  without  delay,  and  ex- 
pressed his  regret  that  the  bridge  could  not  be  com- 
pleted for  several  days  after  the  tools  did  arrive,  and 
thus  the  movements  of  the  army  be  very  seriously 
retarded.  Captain  Lane  had  already  surveyed  the 
ground,  and  formed  his  own  opinion  as  to  the  best 
plan  of  bridging  the  stream,  and  consequently  was 
prepared  to  give  any  suggestions  that  might  be  neces- 
sary. He,  however,  only  asked  the  privilege  of  con- 
trolling the  work  of  building  a  bridge,  promising,  at 
the  same  time,  to  have  it  completed  next  day.  The 
proposition  seemed  so  absurd,  both  to  the  General 
and  his  professional  engineer,  that  they  could  not  re- 
frain from  expressing  their  incredulity.  No  time 
would  be  lost,  however,  even  should  Captain  Lane 
fail  to  accomplish  the  undertaking,  as  either  success 
or  failure  would  be  demonstrated  before  the  tools 
which  had  been  ordered  could  possibly  arrive.  He 
was  ordered,  therefore,  to  proceed  at  once  with  the 
work,  and  the  Assistant  Adjutant-General  was  di- 
rected to  furnish  him  with  a  detail  of  men.  At  Cap- 
tain Lane's  request,  his  own  company  was  detailed. 

Near  the  site  of  the  contemplated  bridge  a  raft  of 
logs  was  found  in  the  stream,  fastened  together  in  the 
usual  manner.  There  were  also  two  or  three  good 
dwelling-houses  near,  which  had  been  deserted  by  the 
occupants  on  the  approach  of  the  Federal  troops.  On 
examination  into  the  mechanical  resources  of  the  com- 
pany, several  axes  and  two  or  three  augers  were 
found.  These  were  all  the  available  materials  and 
tools  that  could  be  relied  on  for  the  construction  of 
the  bridge.  But,  if  it  be  true  that  a  Yankee  adrift 


94  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

on  a  log  is  sure  to  succeed  in  making  port,  and 
in  successful  "  diskiveries,"  if  he  have  just  his  jack 
knife  in  his  pocket,  there  was  no  reason  to  doubt  that 
the  Poco  would  be  bridged  by  the  extemporized  en- 
gineers. 

The  logs  were  floated  to  the  proposed  site,  and 
placed  side  by  side ;  poles  were  securely  fastened  on 
the  ends  of  the  logs,  so  as  to  keep  them  in  place;  all 
the  log-chains  that  could  be  found  in  the  neighbor- 
hood were  used  as  anchors,  and,  when  the  supply  of 
chains  failed,  strong  poles  were  spliced  together,  and 
so  arranged  as  to  reach  from  different  points  of  the 
bridge  to  the  shore,  so  as  to  keep  the  structure  from 
being  floated  off  by  the  strong  current.  The  de- 
serted houses  were  then  torn  down,  the  hewed  frame 
timbers  were  fastened  on  the  logs  for  string-pieces, 
and  boards  were  laid  on  these  again  to  form  the  floor 
or  covering,  green  withes  being  used  to  bind  them  to- 
gether. The  work  was  commenced  at  nine  o'clock 
A.  M.,  and  at  two  o'clock  next  morning  Captain  Lane 
reported  to  General  Cox  that  the  bridge  was  com- 
pleted. By  daylight  the  army  was  in  motion.  The 
troops,  with  the  artillery  and  supply-trains,  passed 
over  without  delay  and  without  any  accident,  so  that 
before  the  tools  ordered  from  Ohio  could  have  been 
much  more  than  packed,  the  army  was  safely  across 
the  river  and  thundering  on  the  heels  of  Wise.  The 
bridge  was  used  during  all  that  summer,  without  any 
special  attention  being  paid  to  it  to  keep  it  in  repair, 
and  the  supply-trains  continued  to  cross  on  it  till  the 
heavy  rains  and  high  waters  of  the  ensuing  fall  ren- 
dered it  unsafe. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  95 

In  keeping  with  the  foregoing,  was  the  work  at 

PACK'S  FERKY. 

As  stated  in  a  previous  chapter,  the  Kanawha  cam- 
paign of  1862  was  opened  in  April,  by  the  forces  under 
General  Cox  moving  from  Gauley  Bridge  and  vicinity 
nearly  due  south,  with  the  intention  of  cutting  the  Vir- 
ginia and  Tennessee  Railroad,  at  or  near  Wytheville 
or  Newbern,  and  destroying  the  bridge  across  New 
River,  so  as  to  sever  that  important  line  of  communi- 
cation. The  rebels  had  been  able,  by  me'ans  of  this 
great  central  road,  to  concentrate  their  troops  at  al- 
most any  point  with  so  much  secrecy  and  celerity  as 
to  strike  heavy  blows  on  different  points  of  the  Fed- 
eral line,  and  by  hurling  superior  numbers  against 
some  given  point,  not  unfrequently  causing  serious 
disaster  to  our  forces  before  reinforcements  could  be 
brought  up.  Having  the  interior  line,  they  could,  with 
one  army,  fight  on  the  Potomac  to-day,  and,  before  a 
week  or  ten  days  elapsed,  fight  again  with  the  same 
army  on  the  Mississippi.  The  necessity  of  sever- 
ing this  important  line  of  communication  was,  there- 
fore, obvious.  As  already  stated,  the  Kanawha  army 
moved  forward  in  two  columns — one,  under  command 
of  Colonel  (now  General)  Crook,  passing  up  on  the 
east  of  New  River,  toward  Lewisburg,  and  the  other, 
under  command  of  General  Cox,  in  person,  passing 
up  on  the  west  by  way  of  Raleigh  and  Princeton. 
The  head  of  the  column,  under  General  Cox,  reached 
a  point  within  a  few  miles  of  the  railroad,  had  a  se- 
vere fight  with  a  greatly  superior  force,  but,  being 


96  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

unable  to  maintain  its  position,  fell  back  to  Flat-Top 
Mountain.  As  a  tribute  to  a  noble  regiment,  it  is 
worthy  of  note,  in  passing,  that  the  Thirty -fourth  Ohio 
fought  desperately  on  this  occasion,  and  so  resolutely 
did  they  guard  the  trains,  that,  at  one  time,  they  had  to 
cut  their  way  through  the  rebel  lines  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet.  The  hospital  at  Raleigh  told  the  tale  of 
their  bravery  and  endurance.  The  other  column,  un- 
der General  Crook,  met  the  rebels  near  Lewisburg, 
and  achieved  a  brilliant  victory — the  Forty-fourth 
Ohio,  under  Colonel  Gilbert,  covering  itself*  with  glory. 
This  affair  took  place  on  the  23d  of  May.  General 
Cox  proceeded  to  maintain  his  positions  on  both  sides 
of  the  river,  his  left  resting  on  Lewisburg,  and  his 
right  on  Flat-Top  Mountain.  To  secure  this,  how- 
ever, it  was  necessary  to  open  direct  communication 
between  the  two  wings  of  the  army,  and  a  point  on 
New  River,  known  as  Pack's  Ferry,  was  the  only 
available  crossing-place.  Floyd,  in  his  retreat  from 
Cotton  Mountain,  in  the  fall  of  1861,  had  destroyed 
all  the  boats  that  could  be  found  on  New  River,  and 
had  obstructed  the  roads  by  burning  bridges,  felling 
timber,  and  by  rolling  huge  rocks  down  from  over- 
hanging cliffs  in  narrow  gorges,  thus  rendering  them 
impassable.  The  roads  were  obstructed,  more  or  less, 
in  this  way,  from  Shady  Springs  to  Pack's  Ferry,  a 
distance  of  some  eighteen  or  twenty  miles. 

On  the  25th  of  May,  orders  were  issued  to  Captain 
Lane  to  take  Companies  G  and  K,  and  proceed  imme- 
diately to  clear  the  roads,  put  in  repair  the  ferry,  and 
build  a  boat  capable  of  carrying  five  hundred  men.  In 
making  preparations  for  the  expedition,  it  was  found 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  97 

that  the  tools  necessary  for  the  work  contemplated  had 
been  left  at  Gauley  Bridge,  and  no  implements  could  be 
had  but  spades  and  axes.  The  orders,  however,  were 
imperative — it  was  an  absolute  necessity  that  commu- 
nication be  opened  without  delay.  The  two  compa- 
nies, numbering  one  iiundred  and  thirty-seven  men, 
immediately  left  Raleigh  for  the  scene  of  operation. 
Company  G,  composed  of  as  brave  and  efficient  men 
as  ever  shouldered  musket  or  swung  an  ax,  was  under 
command  of  Captain  Higgins — an  old  Californian  of 
enlarged  experience,  true  as-  steel  in  the  hour  of  dan- 
ger, always  cool,  calm,  and  collected,  and,  be  it  whis- 
pered, a  dry  old  wag,  whose  jokes  were  as  spicy  as 
pepper-sauce.  Company  K  was  in  no  wise  inferior  to 
their  comrades,  but,  composed  of  intelligent  mechanics 
and  practical  engineers  from  Cincinnati,  their  intelli- 
gence and  experience  were  only  equal  to  their  pure 
patriotism  and  unflinching  bravery.  Perhaps  no  offi- 
cers were  ever  prouder  of  their  companies  than  Cap- 
tain Lane  was  of  Company  K,  and  Captain  Higgins 
was  of  Company  G. 

On  the  first  day  the  expedition  advanced  twelve 
miles,  halting  for  the  night  at  Shady  Springs.  Next 
morning  the  work  of  clearing  the  road  commenced  in 
earnest.  One -half  of  the  men  were  kept  under  arms, 
with  rifles  loaded  and  capped,  ready  for  any  emerg- 
ency, while  the  remainder  were  busy  at  work  remov- 
ing the  obstructions.  These  were  of  no  ordinary 
character.  The  road  wound  round  precipices,  ran 
zigzag  with  a  rocky  mountain  stream,  and,  in  its 
general  outline,  resembled  an  immense  "W" — the 
apex,  or  apices,  striking  through  some  deep,  precipit- 
9 


98  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

ous  gorges  in  the  mountains.  Floyd's  rear-guards 
deserved  the  credit  of  being  skilled  in  the  art  of  ob- 
struction, if  nothing  more.  Trees  were  cut  on  the 
sides  of  the  mountain  and  thrown  across  the  road  in 
such  numbers  and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  form  an 
immense  network  of  logs  and  branches.  Added  to 
this,  huge  rocks  had  been  rolled  from  the  overhang- 
ing cliffs  and  rugged  precipices,  making  the  entangle- 
ment so  perfect  that  the  natives  declared  it  could 
never  be  removed.  Even  the  commanding  officer  of 
a  reconnoitering  party  sent  out  from  Flat-Top  to 
examine  the  condition  of  the  road,  and  the  possibil- 
ity of  building  a  ferry,  had  reported  that  less  labor 
would  be  required  to  open  a  new  road  than  to  remove 
the  obstructions  from  the  old  one ;  and,  moreover,  that 
there  were  no  materials  in  the  vicinity  for  building  a 
ferry.  On  the  evening  of  the  fifth  day,  however,  the 
expedition  of  unprofessional,  but  eminently  practical, 
sappers  and  miners,  formed  their  line  on  the  bank  of 
New  River,  at  Pack's  Ferry,  having  cleared  the  road 
and  made  it  available  for  artillery  and  supply-trains. 
The  greatest  caution  and  vigilance  were  necessary, 
however,  for  the  expedition  was  now  in  front  of  the 
enemy,  and  it  was  not  less  than  twenty-four  miles  to 
the  nearest  support.  The  very  first  work,  on  reach- 
ing New  River,  was  to  have  the  position  thoroughly 
reconnoitered.  In  doing  so,  it  was  found  that  at  a 
point  called  Blue-Stone  Creek,  about  four  miles  above, 
there  was  a  tolerably  good  ford,  and  also  a  road  lead- 
ing to  the  rear  of  the  detachment.  Another  road 
and  ford  were  also  discovered  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Greenbrier,  about  five  miles  below.  Both  points  were 


LIGHTS    AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  99 

picketed  as  strongly  as  the  force  would  permit,  and 
the  men  so  disposed  and  such  general  precautions 
adopted,  that  whatever  disasters  or  misfortunes  might 
happen  the  expedition,  a  surprise  would  not  be  one  of 
them.  These  matters  having  been  disposed  of,  the 
work  of  building  the  "ferry-boat  was  at  once  com- 
menced. 

New  River,  for  nearly  its  entire  length,  is  a  rapid, 
rocky,  mountain  stream.  At  the  point  where  the 
crossing  was  to  be  effected  it  is  about  two  hundred 
yards  wide,  and  the  current  runs  at  about  ten  miles 
an  hour — a  slow  pace  for  New  River.  About  two 
hundred  yards  above  the  ferry,  and  as  many  below, 
the  river  rushes  roaring  and  foaming  over  and  be- 
tween immense  ledges  of  rocks,  and  even  at  a  low 
stage  is  an  angry  mountain  torrent,  rushing  along  with 
irresistible  power.  The  difficulties  of  the  undertaking 
will  at  once  be  apparent.  One  of  the  scouts,  having 
received  information  that  two  gunwales  for  a  boat 
were  concealed  in  a  creek  about  ten  miles  up  Green- 
briar  River,  a  small  party  was  instantly  dispatched  to 
bring  them  in.  This  important  work  was  accom- 
plished in  about  twenty-four  hours,  and  was  the  result 
of  hard  and  incessant  labor.  An  old  "dug-out,"  or 
canoe,  was  also  found,  which  answered  the  purpose 
of  crossing  the  river,  and  was  perfectly  safe  for  three 
or  four  men — provided  they  were  all  experienced 
swimmers. 

In  the  vicinity  lived  a  local  preacher  of  the  Hard- 
Shell  persuasion,  who  was  possessed  of  the  happy 
faculty  of  always  occupying  the  right  side  of  the 
fence,  no  matter  what  troops  occupied  the  country. 


100  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

Captain  Lane  took  a  squad  of  men  and  made  the  cler- 
ical diplomat  a  visit — not,  we  opine,  either  for  a  "  sar- 
mint"  or  prayer-meeting.  There  was  something  else 
in  the  wind  than  either  of  these — something  consid- 
erably more  tangible  and  carnal,  but,  very  possibly, 
considerably  more  useful  and  available  just  at  that 
time.  The  preacher  received  Captain  Lane  with  all 
the  politeness  and  sanctimonious  unction  imaginable, 
and  seemed  anxious  to  show  his  visitors  that  he  was 
too  good  for  any  thing  merely  sublunary.  He  was 
asked  whether  he  knew  of  any  lumber  in  the  neigh- 
borhood. He  replied,  innocently,  that  he  knew  of  no 
lumber  nearer  than  a  certain  point  some  forty  miles 
up  the  river.  That  point  being  within  the  enemy's 
lines,  the  information  vouchsafed  was  not  of  the  most 
valuable  character,  seeing  the  lumber  referred  to  could 
not  be  made  available  for  present  necessities.  But 
something  else  was  needed  as  well  as  lumber.  Cap- 
tain Lane  having  noticed  a  quantity  of  flax  in  the 
barn,  he  informed  the  preacher  that  he  would  be  un- 
der the  necessity  of  having  some  of  it,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  calking  the  boat  he  was  now  building.  The 
preacher  expressed  great  surprise  at  this  request,  stat- 
ing, at  the  same  time,  that,  there  being  no  materials 
with  which  to  build  a  boat,  of  course  there  could  be 
no  necessity  for  having  flax  to  calk  it  with.  When 
he  found,  however,  that  he  was  dealing  with  one  who 
was  thoroughly  in  earnest,  and  that  the  flax  would 
have  to  be  forthcoming,  he  blandly  promised  to  send 
some  to  camp  next  day.  Captain  Lane  informed  him 
that  he  would  save  him  so  much  trouble  as  that,  and 
would  only  take  his  (the  preacher's)  team,  then  at  the 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  101 

door,  and,  with  the  aid  of  Uncle  Sara's  boys,  he  could 
easily  manage  the  flax.  "  In  the  mean  time,"  said  the 
captain,  "I  will  look  around  the  premises,  and  see 
whether  I  can  find  any  lumber  suitable  for  our  pur- 
pose." 

The  party  accordingly  proceeded  to  the  barn,  and, 
on  turning  over  the  flax,  lo  and  behold !  a  large  quan- 
tity of  fine  planking  was  discovered,  of  the  very  qual- 
ity and  dimensions  suitable  for  boat-building.  It  had 
been  very  carefully  hidden  away,  and,  of  course,  the 
loyal  preacher  did  n't  know  any  thing  about  it !  By 
this  happy  discovery  sufficient  material  to  finish  the 
first  boat  was  very  soon  secured,  as  well  as  other  ar- 
ticles, such  as  tools,  which  materially  aided  in  the  gen- 
eral work.  On  the  evening  of  the  fourth  day  after 
the  arrival  of  the  detachment,  a  boat  sixty  feet  long 
was  successfully  launched,  amid  the  shouts  and  cheers 
of  the  one  hundred  and  thirty-seven  men,  which  made 
the  woods  and  rocky  sides  of  New  River  reecho  again 
and  again.  Two  days  had  been  spent  in  getting  the 
gunwales  out  from  their  place  of  concealment  on, 
Greenbrier,  and  in  collecting  lumber,  etc.,  so  that  only 
two  days  were  occupied  in  building  the  first  boat. 

Preparations  were  immediately  made  for  building 
another  boat  eighty  feet  long,  which,  in  due  time,  was 
accomplished;  the  two  were  joined  together,  thus  mak- 
ing a  ferry-boat  one  hundred  and  forty  feet  long.  By 
the  time  this  was  accomplished,  a  rope  had  arrived 
from  Gauley  Bridge  to  work  the  ferry-boat,  as  it  could 
not  be  managed  with  oars  in  such  a  strong  current, 
and  in  such  a  stage  of  water.  The  design  was  to 
make  what  is  known  as  a  "  flying  bridge,"  or  ferry, 


102  LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY    LIFE. 

propelled  by  the  current,  having  the  boat  fastened  by 
means  of  a  long  cable  to  an  anchor  placed  in  a  proper 
position  up  stream.  The  working  of  such  a  ferry  will 
be  familiar  to  most  of  our  readers,  but  to  the  natives 
on  New  River,  it  was  one  of  the  wonders  of  the  world. 
Some  of  them  shrugged  their  shoulders  and  knit  their 
brows  dubiously,  and  even  hinted  that  the  devil,  or 
some  of  his  special  friends,  must  be  in  the  Yankee 
camp.  The  Hard-Shell  brother  had  owned  both  the 
ferry  and  the  old  negro  who  worked  it  for  a  number 
of  years ;  but  such  a  profound  mystery  as  an  immense 
ferry-boat,  moving  from  bank  to  bank  so  rapidly  and 
regularly  without  oars  or  other  visible  means  of  pro- 
pulsion, was  something  beyond  either  of  their  wise 
heads.  The  old  slave  frequently  sat  on  the  bank 
watching  with  intense  interest  the  movements  of  the 
Yankee  ferrymen,  but  he  would  never  consent  to  take 
a  trip  in  the  new  boat,  although  frequently  invited  to 
do  so.  He  would  shake  his  gray  head,  and  mutter 
something  about  "  De  old  Debil  pushin'  dat  'ar  boat," 
and  that  he  "wasn't  gwine  ober  dar,  lest  old  Split-foot 
should  cotch  him."  The  preacher  crossed  several 
times,  and  finally  took  such  an  interest  in  the  spir- 
itual welfare  of  the  boys,  that  he  kindly  offered  to 
preach  to  them  on  Sundays.  The  boys,  however, 
were  not  hungering  after  such  righteousness  as  they 
thought  he  possessed,  and  preferred  literal  immersion 
to  preaching  on  Sundays,  believing  that  cleanliness 
of  body  was  closely  connected  with  purity  of  mind. 

Thus  ended  one  of  the  half-civil,  half-military  ac- 
complishments pertaining  to  the  Eleventh  while  lying 
at  Raleigh,  in  the  summer  of  1862. 


CHAPTER  VH. 

CHANGE   OF  LOCATION BATTLE  OF   BULL  RUN THE  TWELFTH  OHIO— • 

FREDERICK    CITY,    ETC. 

CHANGE  OF  LOCATION. 

ON  Friday,  the  25th  of  July,  six  companies  of  the 
Eleventh  Regiment  left  Raleigh  for  Gauley  Bridge — 
two  companies,  under  command  of  Major  Jackson, 
being  left  to  guard  stores  till  relieved  by  the  Thirty- 
seventh  Ohio.  They  left  at  seven  o'clock  P.  M.,  and 
marched  all  night.  Demonstrations  had  been  made 
by  the  rebels  during  the  previous  few  days,  indicating 
a  movement  on  our  base  of  supplies.  Heath's  rebel 
cavalry  had  made  a  dash  on  Summerville,  capturing 
quite  a  number  of  the  Ninth  Virginia,  and  rumors 
were  afloat  of  a  rebel  column  moving  into  the  valley 
by  way  of  Logan.  But  other  and  ulterior  objects 
were  in  view;  for  a  detachment  had  gone  to  Pack's 
Ferry,  on  New  River,  to  destroy  the  ferry-boat  which 
had  been  constructed  by  Companies  G  and  K  a  month 
or  two  previously,  while  all  means  of  water  transpor- 
tation, such  as  skiffs  and  canoes,  all  along  the  river, 
were  also  destroyed.  On  the  following  Sabbath  or- 
ders were  received  for  the  remaining  companies,  A 
and  E,  to  start  for  Gauley  at  three  A.  M.  on  Monday. 
In  the  mean  time,  the  Thirty-seventh  Ohio  had  ar- 

(103) 


104  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   AKMY   LIFE. 

rived  from  Flat-Top.     All  these  movements  indicated 
a  change  of  programme. 

FAREWELL  SERVICES  IN  THE  HOSPITAL. 

In  the  evening  religious  services  were  held  in  the 
different  wards  of  the  hospital  for  the  last  time  at 
Raleigh.  Strange  as  it  may  seem  to  those  unac- 
quainted with  army  life,  I  felt  loth  to  leave  the  poor 
fellows;  and  when  the  "farewell"  and  "God  bless 
you  "  were  repeated  by  many  a  wan,  wounded  soldier, 
whom  I  never  expect  to  see  again  till  the  Judgment 
of  the  Great  Day,  my  feelings  nearly  overcame  me. 
The  inmates  of  that  hospital  had  suffered  in  behalf 
of  home  and  country ;  but  many  of  them,  thank  God ! 
had  chosen  the  Savior  as  the  Captain  of  their  salva- 
tion, and  had  been  enabled  to  rejoice  in  the  hope  of 
heaven.  The  prayer  of  penitent  souls  had  been 
heard  calling  upon  God  for  mercy;  the  joyful  shout 
of  victory  over  sin  and  death  had  been  frequently 
heard  amid  the  suppressed  groans  of  mortal  agony; 
and,  while  to  the  physical  senses  the  whole  scene  was 
indescribably  sad,  melancholy,  terrible,  the  inner  eye — 
the  eye  of  faith — beheld  the  angels  of  God  hovering 
over  this  dread  scene  of  suffering  and  death,  minis- 
tering to  the  dying  Christian  soldier,  and  ready  to 
waft  his  wearied  spirit  to  the  bosom  of  the  Redeemer. 
And  0!  was  it  not  so?  During  many  a  long,  weary 
night,  when  every  sound  was  a  groan,  and  every  look 
was  agony — when  the  brave  heart  yearned  for  one 
last  look  of  wife  or  sister,  or  father  or  mother,  and 
thought  so  fondly  and  lovingly  of  the  dearest  spot  on 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LITE.          105 

earth — HOME — and  wished  but  for  one  earthly  boon — 
that  of  dying  there — 0!  was  there  not  ONE  stand- 
ing beside  each  sufferer,  and,  pointing  to  his  own 
wounds  received  on  Calvary,  saying,  "  I  am  the  resur- 
rection and  the  life :  he  that  believeth  in  me,  though 
he  were  dead,  yet  shall  he  live :  and  whosoever  liveth 
and  believeth  in  me,  shall  never  die?"  Who  that  has 
ever  experienced  the  love  of  God  can  doubt  it  ?  Who 
that  understands  the  deep  sympathy  and  tender 
mercy  and  loving-kindness  which  form  the  essential 
elements  of  God's  character,  can,  for  a  moment,  doubt 
that  the  dark,  dreadful  scenes  of  agony  and  death 
were  illuminated  by  his  gracious  presence? 

The  sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper  was  also  ob- 
served on  this  our  last  evening  in  Raleigh.  We  had 
secured  a  vacant  room  in  a  dilapidated  house,  and 
there  we  made  preparations,  few  and  simple,  to  ob- 
serve the  Christian  Passover.  A  rough  table  was 
procured,  and  for  a  table-cloth  we  used  a  copy  of  The 
American  Wesleyan.  We  had  no  Christian  sisters  to 
prepare  the  communion  bread,  and  see  that  every 
thing  was  neat  and  orderly  as  becometh  every  thing 
pertaining  to  this  holy  ordinance ;  nevertheless,  mat- 
ters were  so  managed  that  the  communion-table,  and 
all  that  appertained  to  it,  was  as  becoming  as  the  ex- 
hibitions of  Christian  taste  and  attention  I  have  seen 
in  some  churches.  True,  the  table-cloth  was  only  a 
newspaper,  but  then  it  was  clean;  the  decanter  was 
only  a  glass  wine-bottle,  but  it  looked  at  least  a  lit- 
tle b.etter  than  a  whisky-flask,  which  I  had  seen  more 
than  once  on  the  communion-table  of  churches,  any 


106  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

one  of  the  members  of  which  could  have  purchased 
a  silver-plated  tankard  or  crystal  decanter  with  what 
he  spent  in  six  months  for  tohacco. 

At  the  appointed  hour  for  the  services  to  com- 
mence, a  goodly  number  of  Christian  soldiers  assem- 
bled to  enjoy  the  wished-for  meeting.  After  the 
communion  services  were  finished,  a  short  time  was 
spent  in  singing  and  prayer,  and  in  speaking  of  re- 
ligious experience.  One  little  incident  connected 
with  these  exercises  will  not  soon  be  forgotten  by 
those  who  were  present.  A  young  soldier,  who  had 
been  severely  wounded  in  the  chest,  and  who,  seem- 
ingly, had  hovered  between  life  and  death  for  several 
weeks,  and  whose  heart  the  Lord  had  opened  to  re- 
ceive the  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ,  was  supported  to 
the  meeting,  and  there,  with  tearful  eyes  and  a  coun- 
tenance indicative  of  spiritual  joy,  he  testified  his 
faith  in  a  sin-forgiving  Savior,  and  publicly  acknowl- 
edged his  discipleship  by  fulfilling  the  Savior's  com- 
mand, "This  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  Weeks 
before,  he  had  said, "  I  will  arise  and  go  to  my  Father, 
and  will  say,  Father,  I  have  sinned  against  heaven 
and  in  thy  sight,  and  am  no  more  worthy  to  be  called 
thy  son."  He  had  put  his  resolution  into  practice;  he 
had  sought  reconciliation  with  God  through  the  fin- 
ished work  of  Christ,  and  now  he  could  testify  that 
"He  is  able  also  to  save  them  to  the  uttermost  that 
come  unto  God  by  him,  seeing  he  ever  liveth  to  make 
intercession  for  them." 

The  regiment  remained  at  Gauley  Bridge  from  the 
26th  July  till  the  17th  August,  when  nearly  the  whole 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  107 

of  the  Kanawha  division  was  withdrawn  from  the 
valley.  The  Eleventh,  Twelfth,  Twenty-third,  Twenty- 
eighth,  Thirtieth,  and  Thirty-sixth  Ohio  Regiments, 
under  General  Cox,  reached  Washington  City  on 
Sunday,  the  24th — and  the  Thirtieth  and  Thirty-sixth 
Regiments  having  passed  through  to  Warrenton,  the 
remainder  of  the  division  encamped  in  the  vicinity  of 
Alexandria.  We  were  now,  for  the  first  time,  num- 
bered with  the  grand  Army  of  the  Potomac,  and 
great  were  the  expectations  of  seeing  military  life  in 
its  most  finished  and  scientific  forms.  Newspapers, 
east  and  west,  had  been  filled  with  glowing  accounts 
of  the  perfect  organization  of  that  army — of  its  effi- 
ciency in  all  military  duties,  its  perfect  discipline,  and 
its  unbounded  confidence  in  its  leaders.  But  circum- 
stances were  such  that,  however  efficient  and  highly 
disciplined  that  army  might  have  been,  an  unfavorable 
impression  was  almost  certain  to  be  made.  Just  at 
that  time  every  thing  seemed  to  be  in  confusion. 
With  regimental  guards  in  the  camps,  provost-guards 
on  every  street-corner,  guards  patrolling  the  city 
from  one  end  to  the  other,  and  with  apparently  the 
strictest  discipline  everywhere,  it  seemed  as  if  order 
and  discipline  existed  nowhere.  Without  any  reflec- 
tion whatever  upon  the  well-known  and  well-estab- 
lished bravery  and  devotion  of  that  army,  it  seemed 
as  if  the  causes  for  such  a  lack  of  discipline  and  gen- 
eral good  order  were  not  hard  to  discover.  It  was  at 
the  time  General  McClellan's  troops  were  returning 
from  the  Peninsula,  and  when  army  movements  gen- 
erally seemed  to  be  involved  in  inextricable  confusion. 
The  general  appearance  of  the  men  indicated  the  ex- 


108          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

posure,  fatigue,  and  privations  they  had  endured,  while 
their  battle-rent  flags  told  the  tale  of  that  heroic 
bravery  they  had  so  often  manifested  in  the  face  of 
danger  and  death.  But,  whether  by  mere  accident, 
or  on  account  of  the  incompetency  or  neglect  of 
general  officers,  there  seemed  to  be  a  lack  of  every 
thing  the  men  required  to  make  them  feel  as  if 
they  were  treated  with  that  honor  and  sympathy  which 
they  had  a  right  to  expect  as  men  and  as  soldiers. 
Many  of  them,  utterly  reckless,  gave  way  to  their 
passions — mean,  money-making  sutlers,  traders,  and 
adventurers  supplied  them  with  liquor,  which  only 
added  to  the  general  confusion  and  disorder,  while  the 
utter  absence  of  any  real  effective  check,  even  on 
many  of  the  officers,  showed  that  something  more 
serious  existed  than  a  mere  momentary  disregard  of 
good  order  and  discipline.  The  truth  was,  that  the 
movements  on  the  Peninsula,  spoken  of  as  being 
"  profoundly  strategic,"  "  brilliant,"  "  well-timed,"  "  in- 
imitably grand,"  "successful,"  and  even  "unheard  of 
prior  to  the  existence  of  the  genius  of  Napoleon," 
were  but  a  series  of  huge  blunders,  and,  but  for  the 
heroic  endurance  and  unflinching  devotion  of  the  rank 
and  file,  together  with  the  pure,  unselfish  patriotism 
and  military  skill,  as  well  as  bravery,  of  such  men  as 
Sumner  and  Hooker  and  others,  would  have  resulted 
in  disaster  and  ruin.  That  men,  under  such  circum- 
stances, should  give  way,  if  even  for  a  brief  period, 
to  discouragement  and  recklessness,  is  not  a  matter 
of  surprise. 

As  one  instance  among  many  that  might  be  cited, 
indicating  the  want  of  thorough  intelligent  order  and 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   AEMY  LIFE.          109 

discipline,  it  may  just  be  stated  that  while  the  largest 
liberty  was  taken  by  the  more  reckless  of  officers  and 
men,  a  general  officer,  who  was  in  command  of  an 
army  corps,  ere  one  week  had  elapsed,  was  arrested  on 
the  streets  of  Washington,  and  lodged  in  the  guard- 
house !  One  of  the  most  exemplary  of  men,  as  diffi- 
dent as  he  was  brave,  a  total  abstainer,  recognized  by 
all  in  his  command  as  a  good,  religious  man,  as  well 
as  an  efficient  officer,  it  is  not  difficult  to  tell  either 
his  own  or  his  friends'  feelings  when  he  was  thus  wel- 
comed to  the  hospitalities  of  Washington ! 

Our  camp  equipage  had  scarcely  arrived,  when  two 
regiments  of  the  Kanawha  division  were  ordered  to 
move  to  the  front.  Who  gave  the  orders  it  was  rather 
difficult  to  tell.  It  has  not  yet  been  very  clearly  as- 
certained, owing,  perhaps,  to  the  fact  that  there  were 
many  aspirants  for  command,  and  that  there  existed 
many  and  bitter  jealousies  consequent  on  McClellan 
being  superseded  by  Pope.  Be  this  as  it  may,  how- 
ever, the  matter  has  not  been  very  satisfactorily  ex- 
plained, although  official  reports  recognized  the  orders 
and  movements  referred  to. 

On  Wednesday,  27th  of  August,  at  dawn  of  day, 
the  Eleventh  and  Twelfth  Ohio  Regiments,  according 
to  orders  received  an  hour  or  two  previous  to  start- 
ing, moved  out  by  the  Orange  and  Alexandria  Rail- 
road toward  Manassas,  as  it  was  reported  a  rebel  force 
was  making  demonstrations  in  that  vicinity.  Colonel 
Coleman  had  been  summoned  to  Washington  on  offi- 
cial business,  and,  of  course,  knew  nothing  of  the 
movement.  The  expedition  was  under  the  command 
of  Colonel  (now  General)  Scammon,  of  the  Twenty- 


110          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

third  Ohio.  Before  reaching  Bull  Hun  Bridge  and 
water-station,  the  rattle  of  musketry  and  boom  of  can- 
non told  us  that  fighting  had  begun.  In  a  few  min- 
utes, we  moved  forward,  crossed  Bull  Run,  and  took 
position  on  the  railroad  and  in  the  woods  above  the 
water-station.  A  New  Jersey  brigade,  under  com- 
mand of  General  Taylor,  had  been  engaging  the  en- 
emy for  about  an  hour,  and  by  this  time  were  falling 
back  in  large  numbers — doggedly  refusing  to  rally  to 
the  support  of  the  Ohio  troops.  It  was  hardly  any 
wonder.  They  had  been  recklessly  pushed  forward, 
without  even  the  precaution  of  having  skirmishers 
thrown  out  in  front,  and  when  exposed  to  a  raking 
fire  from  batteries  on  both  flanks,  were  so  poorly 
handled  by  their  general,  that  they  lost  all  confidence 
in  him.  Some  of  the  officers,  it  is  said,  begged  him 
to  order  a  charge,  but  he  refused,  asserting  his  belief 
that  the  batteries  were  not  rebel,  but  Union,  and  that 
their  mistake  would  soon  be  corrected.  To  stand  al- 
most in  solid  column,  and  be  plowed  by  grape  and 
canister,  is  more  than  men  can  endure,  especially  if 
refused  permission  to  return  the  fire  or  take  the  bat- 
teries by  storm.  General  Taylor  himself  fell  mortally 
wounded,  and  the  ranking  colonel  immediately  ordered 
the  command  to  fall  back.  It  was  just  at  this  juncture 
that  the  Ohio  regiments  reached  the  scene  of  action. 

Major  Jackson  had  command  of  the  Eleventh  until 
Colonel  Coleman  arrived  on  the  field,  which  he  did 
about  an  hour  after  the  regiment  went  into  action. 
Not  soon  will  I  forget  his  appearance,  nor  the  words 
he  spoke  when  he  came  to  where  I  was  dressing  some 
of  the  wounded.  The  day  was  very  hot  and  sultry, 


LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY   LIFE.  Ill 

He  had  walked  some  five  or  six  miles,  and,  as  he 
paused  a  moment  beside  me,  the  perspiration  rolled  in 
great  drops  from  his  face. 

"  Where  's  the  Eleventh,  chaplain  ?  "  said  he. 

"Round  that  curve  of  the  railroad,  and  just  across 
the  creek.  You  '11  fincl  Company  E  in  the  ravine 
down  there." 

"Have  they  been  engaged  long?" 

"  About  an  hour  and  a  half.  That 's  our  regiment 
that  has  fired  that  volley." 

"I  could  have  cried,"  said  he,  earnestly  and  bit- 
terly, "  when  I  came  to  camp  and  found  the  regiment 
gone.  No  one  knew  any  thing  about  it  at  Cox's 
head-quarters." 

Away  he  went,  with  redoubled  speed,  and,  in  a  few 
minutes,  a  hearty  cheer,  that  made  the  welkin  ring, 
told  of  his  arrival  and  warm-hearted  reception. 

But  the  contest  was  unequal.  The  little  band  of 
scarcely  three  thousand,  all  told,  were  contending  with 
an  army  of  not  less  than  thirty  thousand,  under  Jack- 
son and  Fitzhugh  Lee — in  fact,  a  powerful  column, 
moving  up  by  way  of  Fairfax,  with  the  intention  of 
cutting  Pope's  communications  and  threatening  Wash- 
ington City. 

The  heroic  stand  maintained  by  the  little  Union 
force,  and  the  peculiar  nature  of  the  ground,  which 
favored  bold  movements  without  exposing  our  weak- 
ness, induced  the  rebels  to  believe  that  we  were  but 
the  advance-guard  of  McClellan's  army,  swinging 
round  to  the  support  of  Pope.  At  about  two  o'clock 
we  had  to  commence  falling  back  toward  Fairfax 
Station,  taking  the  most  of  our  wounded  with  us. 


112  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY   LIFE. 

Adjutant  Alexander,  who  was  wounded  severely,  had 
to  be  left,  as  was  supposed,  in  a  dying  state — two 
men  having  volunteered  to  remain  with  him.  In  a 
day  or  two  these,  with  others,  were  released  on  pa- 
role, and  returned  within  our  lines.  Before  falling 
back,  an  incident  occurred  which  raised  the  two  Ohio 
regiments  very  much  in  each  other's  estimation.  The 
Twelfth  had  made  a  charge  on  a  portion  of  the  en- 
emy's lines,  and,  while  doing  so,  were  taken  in  flank 
and  rear  by  a  regiment  sent  out  to  cut  them  off. 
The  Eleventh,  seeing  this,  instantly  rushed  to  the  as- 
sistance of  their  comrades,  charged  bayonet  on  the 
exultant  rebels,  and  thus  enabled  the  Tweifth  to  cut 
their  way  out,  which  they  did  in  splendid  style.  A 
few  minutes  after  this,  the  Eleventh  was  in  nearly 
the  same  predicament,  and  required  similar  assist- 
ance, which  was  as  promptly  and  as  gallantly  ren- 
dered. In  several  severe  battles  after  this,  the 
Eleventh  and  Twelfth  fought  side  by  side,  and  they 
vied  with  each  other  only  in  bravery  and  in  mutual 
good-will. 

Having  reached  Fairfax  Station,  the  troops  were 
formed  into  a  large  hollow  square,  the  railroad  sta- 
tion being  near  the  center,  filled  with  the  wounded. 
The  word  was  passed  around  that  no  speaking  louder 
than  a  whisper  would  be  permitted  during  the  night, 
and  that  the  utmost  vigilance  would  have  to  be  ob- 
served. In  the  mean  time,  the  surgeons  were  busy 
attending  to  the  necessities  of  our  wounded,  the 
greater  part  of  whom  had  been  brought  off  the  field. 
By  ten  o'clock  every  thing  was  quiet,  save  the  low 
moan  of  some  sufferer,  or  the  suppressed  whisper  of 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE.          113 

some  hospital  attendant.  There  were  no  camp-fires 
kindled — not  even  a  candle  glimmered  in  the  profound 
darkness  that  enveloped  the  little  band — and  each  one, 
anxious,  gloomy,  yet  hoping  for  the  best,  threw  him- 
self down,  if  not  to  sleep,  at  least  to  rest.  Following 
the  example  of  others,  I  lay  down  in  a  vacant  corner, 
expecting  to  rest  with  tolerable  comfort.  Very  soon 
I  was  passing  dreamily  and  sweetly  into  a  delicious 
state  of  oblivion,  when  I  was  suddenly  aroused  by  Dr. 
Gabriel,  who  informed  me,  in  a  low  whisper,  that  we 
would  leave  in  about  twenty  minutes.  It  was  now 
about  half-past  ten.  On  looking  around,  I  found  the 
column  already  formed;  but,  with  the  exception  of 
the  long  dusky  outline  against  the  darker  shadows 
of  the  woods,  there  was  nothing  to  indicate  that  two 
brigades  were  formed  in  line,  ready  to  march.  Mov- 
ing down  the  railroad  toward  Alexandria,  in  the  most 
secret  and  cautious  manner,  we  had  not  gone  far  till 
our  advance-guard  was  halted  by  the  rebel  pickets. 
So  they  had  us  surrounded,  without  doubt !  "  About — 
face ! "  was  given  in  whispers,  and  our  steps  were 
speedily  retraced.  Halting  for  fifteen  minutes  near  the 
place  where  the  column  had  been  formed,  we  struck  to 
the  right,  by  an  unfrequented  road,  through  a  strip  of 
woods,  and  toward  daylight  reached  the  main  turnpike, 
within  two  or  three  miles  of  our  fortifications.  It  was 
afterward  discovered  that  the  rebels  did  have  us  com- 
pletely hemmed  in — their  ignorance  of  this  by-road 
alone  securing  our  retreat. 

It  was  a  matter  of  deep  and  lasting  regret  to  all  in 
the  regiment  that  our  brave  and  gentlemanly  adjutant 
had  been  mortally  wounded.     He  had  endeared  him- 
10 


114  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

self  to  every  one  in  the  regiment  by  a  uniform  kindli- 
ness of  manner,  and  by  a  general  deportment  which 
showed  him  at  once  the  brave  soldier  and  the  generous, 
upright  gentleman.  The  sorrow  of  the  whole  regi- 
ment— especially  of  Company  B,  of  which  he  had  been 
lieutenant — was  as  honorable  to  them,  showing,  as  it 
did,  their  appreciation  of  a  good  man,  as  it  was  to  him 
whose  early  death  they  mourned.  He  was  brought 
within  our  lines  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two,  taken 
to  one  of  the  hospitals  in  Alexandria,  where  he  died 
on  the  25th  of  September.  Peace  be  to  his  memory ! 
A  martyred  patriot,  he  fills  an  honored  grave ! 

A  CUP  OF  COLD  WATER. 

One  little  incident  I  feel  inclined  to  narrate  here — 
one  simple  enough  in  itself,  perhaps,  but  not  without 
some  little  interest.  If  circumstances  often  invest 
words  and  deeds  with  an  importance  and  interest  they 
otherwise  would  never  possess,  then  the  circumstances 
under  which  the  following  incident  occurred  will,  per- 
haps, be  a  sufficient  plea  for  its  being  recorded  here. 

Dr.  Gabriel  and  Dr.  McNutt  were  dressing  the 
wounded,  at  or  near  a  little  house  to  the  right  of  the 
railroad,  and,  seeing  me  engaged  on  the  left  of  the 
road,  Dr.  Gabriel  had  sent  me  a  hospital  knapsack, 
with  what  bandages  he  could  spare.  During  the  stam- 
pede which  followed  an  attempt  on  the  part  of  the 
rebels  to  flank  us,  a  man  who  had  assisted  in  the  ar- 
duous work  of  bringing  off  another,  rather  severely 
scratched  in  one  finger,  and  who  had  gladly  volun- 
teered to  hold  my  horse,  had  rather  suddenly  disap- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  115 

peared.  A  little  colored  boy  had  taken  his  place,  and, 
while  holding  my  horse,  was  observing,  with  great  ap- 
parent interest,  the  work  of  dressing  the  wounded.  At 
this  juncture,  orders  were  given  to  have  all  the  wounded 
sent  to  the  rear  without  delay;  and,  as  if  to  give  em- 
phasis to  the  hint,  a  volley  was  suddenly  poured  in  on 
our  left,  which  sent  Minie  balls  whirring  and  humming 
around  us.  Not  having  any  particular  desire,  just  then, 
to  see  Richmond,  and  noting  the  rapid  changes  going 
on  in  all  directions,  I  prepared  to  "  change  the  base  of 
operations "  also.  The  wounded  were  speedily  re- 
moved to  a  place  of  security,  and  I  was  making 
preparations  to  follow,  when,  feeling  somewhat  ex- 
hausted from  the  intense  heat  as  well  as  labor,  I  had 
recourse  to  my  canteen  for  a  draught  of  water.  Find- 
ing it  empty,  I  gave  it  to  the  little  colored  boy  who 
had  been  so  bravely  and  patiently  holding  my  horse 
for  nearly  two  hours,  requesting  him  to  have  it  filled. 
With  evident  pleasure,  he  started  in  quest  of  water, 
but  soon  returned,  saying  that  none  could  be  found, 
manifesting,  at  the  same  time,  serious  disappointment 
at  his  want  of  success. 

At  this  juncture,  Dr.  Gabriel  sent  me  word  that  a 
number  of  wounded  had  been  removed  to  a  certain 
point,  but  that  there  was  no  one  to  attend  to  them. 
He  also  suggested  the  propriety  of  having  them  re- 
moved still  further  to  the  rear,  apprehending  a  flank 
movement,  of  which  there  was  every  indication.  In 
accordance  with  such  suggestions,  I  started  for  the 
place  indicated,  and  got  the  wounded  there  sent  further 
down  the  railroad.  An  hour,  perhaps,  had  elapsed — 
nearly  the  entire  force  had  fallen  back  to  Fairfax — 


116  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

when  this  boy  came  up  to  me,  with  a  canteen  in  his 
hand,  and,  looking  up  wistfully  in  my  face,  said,  "Will 
you  have  a  drink  now,  sir  ?  "  Poor  child !  he  had  fol- 
lowed me  at  least  two  miles  to  give  me  a  cup  of  cold 
water!  Perhaps  some  will  say  this  is  a  very  trifling 
matter  to  write  about,  but  to  me  it  was  inexpressibly 
affecting.  I  felt  as  if  the  Lord  had  sent  this  little  one 
to  give  me  a  cup  of  cold  water,  when  faint  both  with 
hunger  and  fatigue,  on  the  battlefield  of  Manassas ! 
May  that  Savior  who  promised  a  rich  reward  to  those 
who  would  give  a  cup  of  cold  water  in  his  name,  have 
this  unknown  little  one  in  his  holy  keeping,  and  give 
him  to  drink  of  that  "Living  water,  of  the  which,  if  a 
man  drink,  he  will  never  thirst." 

Next  day— Thursday,  the  28th— late  in  the  afternoon, 
the  great  and  disastrous  conflict  known  as  the  second 
Bull  Run  battle  may  be  said  to  have  fairly  com- 
menced. Our  regiment  rested  on  that  day;  but  on 
Friday  the  entire  division  again  moved  to  the  front, 
and  took  position  near  Falls  Church.  Although  com- 
paratively quiet  along  our  lines,  a  terrific  battle  was 
raging  elsewhere,  and  Pope  was  fighting  against  fear- 
ful odds.  On  Saturday,  the  battle  was  renewed  at  ten 
o'clock  A.  M.,  and  from  that  hour  till  nearly  six  in 
the  evening  the  roar  of  that  terrible  conflict  contin- 
ued. Nearer  and  nearer  came  the  fearful  sounds  of 
that  bloody  field,  showing  that  our  forces  were  being 
pressed  back.  That  Saturday  was,  indeed,  a  gloomy 
day.  The  roads  leading  from  Washington  to  Center- 
ville  were  thronged  with  supply-trains  going  out,  and 
with  ambulance  trains,  loaded  with  wounded,  coming 
in.  And  not  only  was  Government  transportation 


LIGHTS  AND    SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE.  117 

crowded  to  the  utmost,  but  all  the  livery  stables  in  the 
city  were  pressed  into  service,  and  every  carriage  sent 
out  to  the  field  for  the  wounded.  It  was,  indeed,  a 
mournful  sight — those  seemingly  endless  trains  of 
crushed,  mangled  humanity — all  the  more  mournful 
when  the  fact  was  learned  that  a  contemptible  jeal- 
ousy, if  not  absolute  treachery,  had  prevented  re- 
inforcements reaching  that  struggling  army  -when 
pressed  back  by  superior  numbers. 

On  the  4th  of  September,  demonstrations  were  made 
by  the  enemy  in  our  immediate  front.  Our  pickets  were 
driven  in,  and  considerable  artillery  firing  was  kept  up 
for  a  short  time.  The  troops  were  under  arms  all 
night,  artillery  in  position,  and  every  thing  in  readi- 
ness for  battle.  But  those  demonstrations  were  only 
a  feint  to  draw  attention  from  other  movements  the 
rebels  were  making  on  the  Upper  Potomac.  Next  day 
passed  quietly,  with  the  occasional  exception  of  picket- 
firing. 

A  SHORT  SERMON — PREPARATIONS  TO  MOVE. 

As  the  army  was  now  in  the  midst  of  an  active 
campaign,  and  opportunities  to  hold  religious  meetings 
were  but  few,  it  was  very  desirable  to  improve  the 
few  hours  of.  quietude  that  were  given  us  on  the  even- 
ing of  this  day.  Accordingly,  the  bugler  sounded  the 
"church-call,"  and  very  soon  a  large  congregation  had 
assembled  within  the  fort,  and  we  had  the  prospect  of 
an  interesting  meeting.  Preliminary  services  had  just 
been  finished,  however,  and  the  text  fairly  announced, 
when  Colonel  Coleman  sent  me  word  that  marching 
orders  had  just  been  received.  This,  of  course,  had 


118          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

the  effect  of  bringing  our  services  to  a  sudden  close, 
and  the  brief  sermon  was,  "Now,  comrades,  we  have 
got  orders  to  march,  and  I  must  stop.  God  bless  you, 
and  make  you  faithful  soldiers  for  God  and  your 
country ! " 

Soon  the  camp-fires  were  replenished,  and  every 
man  was  busy  in  preparing  rations  for  three  days. 
At  the  appointed  hour,  next  morning,  the  various  col- 
umns were  put  in  motion,  and  our  faces  were  turned 
toward  Washington  City.  This  confirmed  our  suspi- 
cions that  the  reported  crossing  of  a  rebel  force  into 
Maryland  was  true,  and  that  the  National  Capital  was 
seriously  threatened.  It  had  also  been  reported  that 
the  rebels  were  in  possession  of  Frederick  City  and 
Hagerstown,  and  that  they  were  holding  high  carnival 
in  the  beautiful  and  fruitful  valleys  between  the  latter 
city  and  the  Potomac. 

The  authorities  being  anxious  seemingly  to  secure 
the  safety  of  the  Capital,  the  various  columns  were 
moved  out  toward  Maryland,  very  slowly.  Indeed, 
for  two  or  three  days,  it  seemed  a  matter  of  doubt 
whether  the  enemy  was  within  five  or  ten  miles  of  the 
city,  so  slowly  did  the  army  move.  A  day's  march 
was  usually  from  five  to  eight  or  ten  miles,  and  it 
seemed  as  if  there  were  a  constant  "  feeling  the  way" 
through  from  one  point  to  another.  Marching  at  this 
rate,  the  column  under  command  of  General  Cox 
passed  through  Ridgeville,  on  Thursday,  the  llth  of 
September — the  rebel  pickets  retreating  from  the  vi- 
cinity of  the  town  as  we  approached.  We  halted  till 
next  morning,  and,  at  an  early  hour,  were  again  push- 
ing forward  on  the  Frederick  road. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          119 

About  one  o'clock  the  rebel  pickets  in  the  neigh- 
borhood of  Frederick  City  were  driven  in,  and  the 
artillery  opened  on  both  sides.  Simmons's  and  Mc- 
Mullen's  Ohio  batteries  were  both  brought  into  po- 
sition, and  opened  on,  the  rebels  posted  at  and  near 
the  stone  bridge  which  crosses  the  Monocacy  on  the 
east  of  the  city.  The  column  was  formed  in  three 
divisions.  One  division  moved  across  the  fields  on  the 
south,  another  formed  in  the  woods  to  the  east  and 
north,  and  advanced  on  the  city  from  that  direction, 
while  the  center  column  moved  on  the  turnpike  and 
across  the  stone  bridge.  Our  artillery  and  musketry 
being  mainly  directed  to  clearing  the  bridge,  the 
rebels  were  soon  compelled  to  retreat  in  no  little  con- 
fusion. They  re-formed  again  still  nearer  the  city, 
and  in  such  a  position  as  to  command  the  bridge  and 
approaches.  But  the  three  columns  pushed  on  steadi- 
ly, nevertheless.  The  center,  with  the  Eleventh  in 
advance,  took  possession  of  the  bridge,  and  drove  all 
before  them.  At  this  juncture  Colonel  Moore,  of  the 
Twenty-eighth  Ohio,  who  was  commanding  the  center, 
ordered  a  charge,  himself  bravely  leading.  Two  pieces 
of  artillery  were  at  the  same  moment  wheeled  into 
position,  in  such  a  manner  as  to  sweep  the  road — the 
intention  being  that  the  party  charging  should  open 
right  and  left,  so  as  to  allow  the  gunners  to  plow  the 
ranks  of  the  rebels  on  the  road.  The  order  seemed 
to  be  misunderstood — a  momentary  confusion  ensued, 
and  some  of  our  cavalry  (among  them  Colonel  Moore 
and  his  aids)  were  driven  back.  The  artillerists,  with 
guns  loaded  and  lanyard  in  hand,  were  waiting  orders 
to  fire.  In  the  rush,  some  one  drove  against  one  of 


120  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

the  gunners,  jerking  the  lanyard  in  his  hand  and  dis- 
charging the  gun.  By  this  accident  several  of  our 
own  men  were  severely  wounded,  and  a  momentary 
confusion  ensued.  The  rebels,  seeing  their  advantage, 
made  a  charge,  and  captured  both  pieces,  and,  with 
them,  Colonel  Moore.  General  Cox's  voice  was  heard 
shouting  to  Colonel  Coleman,  "  Will  the  Eleventh  re- 
cover those  guns  ?  " 

"We  will!"  was  the  instantaneous  reply  of  Cole- 
man. "Now,"  said  he,  addressing  his  men,  at  the 
same  time  waving  his  sword  over  his  head,  "now, 
Eleventh!  we  must  take  those  guns!  When  I  say 
'Charge!'  I  want  you  to  charge  with  a  rush,  and  drive 
those  devils  from  our  guns.  Forward ! — double- 
quick — charge  bayonet — march  ! " 

With  a  deafening  cheer,  they  rushed  on  the  rebels 
like  an  angry  wave  of  gleaming  steel,  drove  them  pre- 
cipitately from  the  guns,  and,  the  columns  right  and 
left  moving  simultaneously,  kept  charging  on  the 
double-quick,  cheering  as  they  rushed  on  and  on,  up 
the  road,  through  the  main  street  of  the  city,  and  halted 
not  till  the  enemy,  routed  and  scattered,  were  fleeing 
in  all  directions !  As  the  rebels  rushed  through  the 
main  street,  with  the  Eleventh  thundering  at  their  heels, 
and  the  noble  Twelfth,  Twenty-eighth,  and  Thirty-sixth 
coming  down  like  tornadoes  on  their  flanks,  it  seemed  as 
if  the  pent-up  loyalty  of  the  citizens  burst  out  every- 
where, and  in  every  form  of  demonstration.  As  the  head 
of  the  column  advanced,  doors  were  flung  open,  win-' 
dows  were  raised,  and  flags  unfurled  by  the  score,  while 
handkerchiefs,  in  the  hands  of  hundreds  of  the  citizens, 
were  waved  continuously.  Young  and  old — boys  that 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          121 

could  just  toot  "Yankee-doodle,"  and  gray-haired 
patriarchs,  on  the  verge  of  the  grave — fresh,  rosy- 
cheeked  maidens,  all  the  more  beautiful  from  the  blush 
of  joyful  excitement  that  suffused  their  cheeks  and 
added  luster  to  their  eyes,  as  well  as  more  matronly 
ladies,  rushed  out  impulsively,  heedless  of  gleaming 
bayonets  and  prancing  steeds,  and  warmly  welcomed 
their  deliverers !  Men  and  women,  more  thoughtful 
of  the  physical  wants  of  the  Union  soldier,  came 
running  out  of  the  stores  and  dwellings  with  water 
and  other  refreshments;  and  so  overjoyed  and  grateful 
were  they,  that  many  of  them  rushed  into  the  advanc- 
ing column,  and  thrust  their  gifts  into  the  hands  of  the 
soldiers !  As  if  by  magic,  the  whole  city  was  arrayed 
in  holiday  attire.  Flags  were  waving  from  every 
house,  and  hats  and  handkerchiefs  from  every  balcony 
and  window,  while  cheer  upon  cheer  went  up  with  such 
hearty  good  will,  and  with  such  a  genuine  "ring,"  that 
no  one  could  doubt  either  the  loyalty  or  lung-power 
of  Frederick's  sons  and  daughters.  I  noticed  some 
elderly  ladies  wringing  their  hands  in  ecstasy,  while 
the  tears  that  trickled  over  their  furrowed  cheeks  told 
how  deep  and  fervent  were  their  emotions.  One,  still 
more  demonstrative  than  the  others,  pressed  her  hands 
together,  and  exclaimed,  in  true  Methodist  style,  "  Bless 
the  Lord !  0  !  bless  the  Lord ! " 

It  was  one  of  those  eras  that  come  but  seldom  in  a 
man's  lifetime — one  of  those  strangely  grand,  sublime 
hours,  or  moments,  rather,  so  full  of  all  that  is  touch- 
ing and  pathetic,  yet  noble  and  elevating,  when  a  man 
who  has  any  manhood,  any  soul  in  him,  springs  to 
the  higher  and  purer  atmosphere  of  the  heroic  in 
11 


122          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

thought  and  action !  The  thrill  of  gladness,  the  inex- 
pressibly delicious — that's  the  word — delicious  feeling 
of  satisfaction  which  fills  the  heart  under  such  circum- 
stances, is  second  only  to  that  which  the  truly  good 
and  great  experience  when  victories  are  achieved  on 
the  great  moral  battlefield,  and  when  the  Christian 
warrior  comes  off  "  more  than  conqueror  through  Him 
that  loved  us."  The  thrill  of  deep  and  intense  joy 
may  be  but  momentary,  but  it  awakens  in  the  heart 
new  emotions,  opens  up  new  well-springs  of  thought, 
and  brings  into  play  dormant  energies.  Any  one  who 
could  not  feel  deeply  and  nobly  under  such  circum- 
stances, and  aspire  to  fuller  and  clearer  views  of  duty 
in  regard  to  daring  and  doing  in  every  true  and  right- 
eous cause,  would  be  unworthy  the  name  of  man.  Un- 
like the  emotions  of  the  merely  professional  warrior 
who  exults  over  a  blood-tarnished  victory,  simply  be- 
cause it  is  a  victory  and  no  more,  the  feelings  of 
the  Union  soldiers  at  Frederick  were  those  of  men 
who  peril  their  own  lives  to  save  others,  and  who  strike 
for  victory  because  victory  brings  life  and  liberty. 

There  are  times  when  men  live  a  lifetime  in  a  few 
moments.  Life  is  not  so  much  days  and  years  as  it  is 
thought  and  action. 

"Life's  more  than  breath  and  the  quick  round  of  blood — 
It  is  a  great  spirit  and  a  busy  heart. 
The  coward  and  the  small  in  soul  scarce  do  live. 
One  generous  feeling — one  great  thought — one  deed 
Of  good,  ere  night  would  make  life  longer  seem, 
Than  if  each  year  might  number  a  thousand  days — 
Spent  as  is  this  by  nations  of  mankind. 
We  live  in  deeds,  not  years;  in  thoughts,  not  breaths; 
In  feelings,  not  in  figures  on  a  dial. 
We  should  count  time  by  heart-throbs.     He  most  lives 
Who  thinks  most — feels  the  noblest — acts  the  best." 


CHAPTER  Vni. 

THE  night  after  the  rebel  forces  were  driven  out  of 
Frederick,  our  army  bivouacked  in  the  rich  valleys 
which  stretch  away  in  such  beauty  and  magnificence, 
till  they  are  hedged  in  by  the  blue,  hazy  mountains, 
or  lost  in  the  dim,  dreamy  outlines  of  far-distant 
cloud  and  sky.  No  movements  took  place,  save  by 
the  cavalry,  till  late  in  the  forenoon  of  the  following 
day,  when  again  the  various  columns  were  in  motion 
toward  Middletown.  By  six  o'clock  that  evening  the 
advance  reached  Catoctin  Creek,  about  two  miles  be- 
yond Middletown.  Cox's  division  lay  in  line  of  battle 
close  by  the  creek,  and  commanding  the  main  road 
leading  from  Middletown  to  Hagerstown. 

Cannonading  had  been  heard  nearly  all  day  in  the 
direction  of  Harper's  Ferry,  intimating  that  some 
demonstrations  were  being  made  against  that  strong- 
hold. Little  did  we  think  that,  through  the  treachery 
or  cowardice  of  Colonel  Miles,  in  command  there, 
the  post,  with  the  valuable  stores  collected  there, 
would  pass  into  rebel  hands,  and  that  the  arms  and 
ammunition  would  be  employed  on  the  following  day 
against  Union  forces.  As  if  to  mark,  however,  the 
fact  that  he  who  basely  seeks  his  own  personal  safety 
at  the  expense  of  honor  and  truth,  often  lose  both 

(123) 


124          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

life  and  honor  by  such  conduct,  Colonel  Miles  fell, 
mortally  wounded,  while  waving,  it  is  said,  with  his 
own  hands,  the  white  flag  of  an  ignominious  sur- 
render. 

On  Sabbath  morning — 14th  September — at  an  early 
hour,  the  forward  movement  commenced.  It  was 
known  that  the  rebels  had  taken  a  strong  position  on 
the  hights  commanding  the  Hagerstown  road,  a  part 
of  the  Blue  Ridge  known  as  South  Mountain.  At 
seven  o'clock  the  first  gun  was  fired,  shelling  the 
woods  on  the  right  and  left  of  the  road,  so  as  to  find 
out  the  position  of  the  enemy.  And  thus  was  ushered 
in  the  day  of  sacred  rest — the  weekly  memorial  of 
that  day  when  Jesus  Christ,  the  Prince  of  Peace,  rose 
from  the  grave,  the  conqueror  of  death  and  hell!  It 
was  a  lovely  morning.  However  much  the  passions 
of  men  might  be  raging,  and  however  fearful  might 
be  the  shock  of  war  that  would  yet  make  the  very 
earth  tremble  ere  the  shadows  of  evening  would  de- 
scend, nature,  at  least,  was  calm,  peaceful,  and  joyous. 
The  dreamy  blue  haze  that  covered,  as  with  a  gauzy 
vail,  the  mountain  ranges;  the  deeper  and  brighter 
vapory  covering  that  hung  like  a  glory  over  the  far- 
stretching  valleys ;  the  grass  and  the  flowers,  yet  drip- 
ping and  sparkling  with  nature's  dewy  baptism;  the 
glad  songs  of  the  birds,  not  yet  driven  from  their 
woodland  homes  by  War's  fierce  visage,  which  filled 
the  woods  with  gushing,  glorious  melody — all  told  of 
Sabbath — sweet,  sacred  Sabbath — the  day  of  rest  and 
peace!  And  we  thought  of  home- /Sabbaths,  too,  and 
the  sanctuary  of  God,  and  the  voice  of  prayer  and 
the  songs  of  praise.  Amid  the  roar  of  the  opening 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE.  125 

battle,  we  thought  of  brethren  dearly  beloved  and 
longed  for,  perhaps  praying  at  that  very  moment  for 
those  about  to  enter  the  very  jaws  of  death ;  and  one 
great  comfort  in  that  dread  hour  was  the  thought  that, 
in  answer  to  such  pcayers,  coming  generations  would 
reap  the  fruits  of  the  day's  unwonted  and  unwelcome 
work  in  a  fuller  and  holier  and  more  permanent 
heritage  of  civil  and  religious  liberty.  Many  a  prayer 
went  up  that  morning  from  the  embattled  hosts  of 
freedom  for  loved  ones  at  home!  Many  a  brave, 
good  heart  breathed  the  wish  into  God's  own  ear, 
that  if  no  more  earthly  Sabbaths  should  see  them  and 
dear  ones  nestling  once  more  at  home,  sweet  home, 
they  might  at  last  all  meet  in  the  home  of  God, 
where  war's  fierce  tumults  shall  never  be  heard,  and 
where  the  calm  of  an  eternal  Sabbath  shall  never  be 
disturbed. 

Before  forming  in  line  of  battle,  there  was  suffi- 
cient time  for  a  few  who  loved  prayer  to  engage  in 
devotional  exercises.  The  86th  Psalm  was  read — the 
following  verses  being  both  appropriate  and  comfort- 
ing: "Bow  down  thine  ear,  0  Lord,  hear  me:  for  I 
am  poor  and  needy.  Be  merciful  unto  me,  0  Lord: 
for  I  cry  unto  thee  daily.  Rejoice  the  soul  of  thy 
servant:  for  unto  thee,  0  Lord,  do  I  lift  up  my  soul. 
For  thou,  Lord,  art  good,  and  ready  to  forgive;  and 
plenteous  in  mercy  unto  all  them  that  call  upon  thee. 
Give  ear,  0  Lord,  unto  my  prayer ;  and  attend  to  the 
voice  of  my  supplications.  In  the  day  of  my  trouble 
I  will  call  upon  thee:  for  thou  wilt  answer  me." 

At  about  ..eight  o'clock  the  bugle  sounded  the 
advance,  and,  after  crossing  the  Catoctin  Creek,  and 


126  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

moving  a  short  distance  up  the  turnpike,  our  division 
filed  off  to  the  left  through  some  fields  and  an  orchard, 
•where  the  artillery  was  already  in  position.  Here  we 
formed  in  line  of  battle,  partly  concealed  by  a  strip  of 
woods  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  on  which  the  enemy  had 
taken  position  behind  a  series  of  stone  walls.  By  this 
movement  our  division  was  thrown  to  the  left  of  the 
gorge  known  as  Turner's  Gap.  The  forces  of  Gen- 
erals Wilcox,  Rodman,  and  Sturgis  followed  close  up 
in  our  support,  while  the  cavalry  connected  our  left 
with  General  Franklin's  right — he  being  engaged  with 
the  enemy  at  a  mountain  pass  a  few  miles  further 
down. 

It  was  while  we  were  lying  in  this  position,  expect- 
ing to  engage  the  enemy  every  moment — the  shot  and 
shell  from  our  own  and  the  rebel  batteries  passing 
over  us  in  all  directions — that  a  little  circumstance 
occurred  that  has  often  been  spoken  of  by  all  in  the 
regiment.  Sergeant  Wilson,  of  the  Quartermaster's 
Department,  arrived  on  the  field  with  the  mail,  and, 
permission  having  been  granted  by  Colonel  Coleman, 
it  was  distributed — the  men,  however,  keeping  in 
ranks.  What  hasty  tearing  open  of  envelopes !  What 
a  fluttering  of  letters  all  along  the  line!  Then  what 
absorbed  attention!  Little  did  the  writers  of  those 
"love-notes"  think,  when  writing  them,  that  they 
would  be  opened  and  read  amid  the  booming  of  artil- 
lery, and  the  explosions  of  shell  that  made  the  very 
earth  tremble !  Little  did  they  think  how  opportunely 
they  would  reach  some  anxious  ones,  who,  perhaps, 
would  never  see  home  nor  friends  again.  Perhaps  as 
little  did  they  understand  how  much  true  comfort  those 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          127 

letters  would  give  in  the  hour  of  peril,  nor  how  much 
they  would  strengthen  both  the  heart  and  hand  of  the 
patriot  soldier  on  the  field. 

Perhaps  I  ought  to  apologize  for  obtruding  any 
thing  of  a  merely  personal  character  into  these  Lights 
and  Shadows,  when  reference  is  made  to  personal 
experience,  under  such  circumstances.  A  sufficient 
apology  will,  it  is  hoped,  be  found  in  the  fact  that 
acknowledgments  of  benefits  received,  both  from  the 
Infinite  Father  and  from  our  brother  man,  are  emi- 
nently proper,  and  have  a  salutary  influence  both 
upon  ourselves  and  others.  Among  other  letters  re- 
ceived that  morning,  was  one  from  Professor  James 
McEldowney,  of  Adrian  College.  I  read  it  while  the 
shot  and  shell  were  screaming  and  bursting  in  all 
directions,  and  while  the  earth  was  trembling  under 
the  fearful  roar  of  musketry  and  artillery.  Nothing 
could  have  been  more  in  keeping  with  my  circum- 
stances than  the  tone  and  spirit  of  that  letter,  and  I 
felt  a  new  impulse  of  humble  faith  in  God's  protect- 
ing care  when  I  read  the  following  lines:  "We  con- 
tinue to  pray  and  hope  for  your  preservation.  Under 
the  protection  of  Heaven  we  know  you  are  safe,  as 
even  the  hairs  of  your  head  are  numbered."  It  was 
as  if  an  angel  had  spoken,  or  as  if  the  Savior  him- 
self had  come  near  to  cheer  and  strengthen  in  antici- 
pation of  the  trials  and  dangers  of  that  fearful  day! 
I  felt  greatly  refreshed  in  spirit;  and  in  the  two  or 
three  minutes  of  communion  with  God,  during  which 
I  tried  to  rise  to  the  full  appreciation  of  those  pre- 
cious words,  I  felt  as  much,  if  not  more,  of  heaven 
and  of  heaven's  peace,  than  I  remember  ever  to 


128          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

have  enjoyed  even  when  blessed  with  the  hallowed 
privileges  of  the  sanctuary.  But  the  tide  of  battle 
rolled  toward  us,  and  in  a  few  minutes  the  regiment 
was  facing  the  enemy. 

Dr.  Holmes,  brigade  surgeon  on  General  Cox's 
staff,  having  selected  a  suitable  place — not  very  suit- 
able, as  was  soon  discovered — for  a  temporary  field 
hospital,  at  the  request  of- Dr.  Gabriel  I  went  down 
through  a  ravine  to  our  regiment,  to  give  directions 
to  the  hospital  corps  for  bringing  off  the  wounded. 
The  Eleventh  and  Twenty-third  Regiments  having 
made  a  movement  threatening  some  South  Carolina 
troops,  in  position  behind  the  stone  fences  on  the 
ridge,  drew  the  enemy's  fire,  which  sent  the  mus- 
ket-balls hissing  and  whizzing  all  around,  and  which 
cut  the  twigs  and  leaves  like  a  storm  of  hail.  I 
had  just  called  the  attention  of  the  hospital  assist- 
ants to  the  directions  indicated,  and  was  turning  to 
leave  them,  when  this  unpleasant  salute  came  in  our 
faces.  For  a  short  time  it  was  exceedingly  doubtful 
whether  some  of  us  would  not  require  assistance  be- 
fore getting  out  of  that  place.  As  it  was,  there  were 
very  sudden  exhibitions  of  profound  humility  on  the 
part  of  all ;  for  we  crouched  very  closely  and  lovingly 
beside  some  low  friendly  rocks.  We  could  hear  the 
spent  musket-balls  pattering,  like  rain-drops,  on  the 
huge  bowlders  for  several  minutes,  while  others  hissed 
and  hummed  in  most  uncomfortable  proximity  to  our 
ears.  Another  tremendous  volley  was  fired,  followed 
by  the  cheers  of  the  Twenty-third  Ohio,  as  it  dashed 
on  the  Twenty-third  South  Carolina,  which  was  hold- 
ing a  strong  position  behind  a  stone  wall.  Another 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LITE.  129 

cheer,  and  no  more  South  Carolina  bullets  hissed 
among  those  boulders  and  trees  for  that  day !  "  The 
psalm-singers  of  the  Western  Reserve" — as  the 
Twenty-third  Ohio  was  nicknamed — from  the  hotbed 
of  Abolitionism  in  the  North,  had  met  the  boastful 
champions  of  wrong  and  robbery,  from  the  hotbed 
of  oppression  and  treason  in  the  South ;  but  Free- 
dom's steel,  stronger  than  Slavery's  bullets,  had  sig- 
nally triumphed  !  Meantime,  George — do  n't  know 
his  surname,  if  he  had  one;  very  likely  he  had,  but 
surnames  in  the  South  are  not  alw"ays  very  honorable 
to  those  from  whom  they  are  derived — George,  our 
bright,  sharp-eyed  contraband,  came  staggering  along, 
with  a  wounded  artillerist  on  his  back.  It  was  Cor- 
poral James,  of  McMullen's  Battery,  a  young  friend 
of  mine  from  Troy,  Ohio.  He  was  very  pale,  but 
cheerful  and  bright  as  ever.  His  replies  to  my  in- 
quiries were  characteristic. 

"  Why !  is  that  you,  Charley  ?  Where  are  you 
wounded?" 

"0,  it's  only  a  flesh-wound.  Wouldn't  have  left, 
only  couldn't  stand.  The  lieutenant  was  wounded 
too.  We  peppered  them,  though!" 

With  all  his  cheerfulness,  however,  he  was  quite  se- 
verely wounded,  a  musket-ball  having  passed  through 
his  leg.  I  learned  afterward,  from  those  who  noticed 
the  splendid  workings  of  McMullen's  Battery,  that 
Corporal  James  had  distinguished  himself  by  his  cool-' 
ness  and  bravery.  He  had  stood  by  his  gun  till  the 
last,  and  when  he  was  shot  down,  there  was  not  an- 
other left  to  reload  the  piece.  The  two  batteries — 
Simmons's  and  McMullen's — were,  perhaps,  the  most 


130  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF    ARMY  LIFE. 

exposed  of  any  of  our  batteries  on  that  part  of  the 
field,  and  they  suffered  accordingly. 

A  short  time  elapsed,  and  I  returned  to  the  am- 
bulances, to  assist  the  surgeons  in  caring  for  the 
wounded.  Dr.  Gabriel  was  engaged  near  a  little 
house  on  the  left  of  the  road,  and  Dr.  McNutt  and 
myself  took  charge  of  those  brought  to  the  place  first 
indicated,  a  few  hundred  yards  further  to  the  left.  I 
had  just  finished  dressing  Charley's  wound,  and  com- 
menced attending  to  the  wants  of  another,  when  An- 
drew Thompson,  of  Company  H,  was  brought  off,  se- 
verely wounded.  By  this  time,  the  battle  was  raging 
fearfully.  The  indescribable  noise  of  the  contending 
hosts,  as  they  swayed  to  and  fro,  like  the  surging 
billows  of  the  ocean ;  the  sharp,  continuous  roll  and 
rattle  of  musketry ;  the  deep,  deafening  boom  of  the 
artillery,  and  the  crashing,  shrieking  shell,  together 
with  the  short,  sharp  hiss  of  "grape  and  canister,  told 
a  fearful  and  bloody  tale.  The  wounded  were  being 
brought  off  in  large  numbers,  and  every  available  help 
was  required.  It  was  then  that  Andrew  was  car- 
ried to  us.  We  had  just  put  our  fingers  on  the  spot 
where  the  musket-ball — having  pierced  his  lungs — was 
lodged  in  the  muscles  of  the  shoulder,  and  were  about 
to  extract  it,  when  a  shell  hissed  close  by  us,  explod- 
ing in  an  instant.  Another  and  another  succeeded,  in 
quick  succession,  until  it  seemed  as  if  the  rebels  had 
taken  our  ambulances  as  their  target.  In  the  trees, 
over  our  heads,  on  our  right  and  left,  shot  and  shell, 
and  finally  grape,  raged  and  roared  around  and  above 
us  like  some  fearful,  driving  storm.  During  a  mo- 
mentary lull  we  tried  to  get  the  ambulances  moved  to 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE.          131 

h-  point  which  seemed  to  promise  greater  security,  but 
the  drivers  either  got  confused  or  frightened,  and  a 
few  minutes — which  seemed  hours — elapsed  before  we 
got  them  to  understand  what  was  wanted.  We  had  just 
got  the  ambulances  fairly  in  motion,  when  again  the 
artillery  opened,  and  the  iron  hail  was  plunging  and 
shrieking  once  more  among  us.  Some  of  the  wounded 
were  brought  to  within  a  few  yards  of  where  surgeons 
were  at  work,  only  to  be  torn  in  pieces  by  grape-shot 
or  fragments  of  shell.  One  poor  fellow,  perfectly 
helpless,  was  laid  down,  as  was  supposed,  in  the  safest 
place,  and  scarcely  had  the  assistants  turned  from  him, 
when  a  shell  cut  him  nearly  in  two !  For  a  few  min- 
utes, it  seemed  as  if  the  very  gates  of  perdition  itself 
were  opened,  and  as  if  the  unquenchable  fires  were 
hissing  and  roaring  around  and  above  us.  There 
seemed  to  be  no  avenue  of  escape — no  shelter  from 
the  incessant,  pitiless,  fiery  storm.  We  were  literally 
surrounded  with  fire.  There  was  scarcely  any  hope 
that  either  ambulances  or  wounded,  or,  indeed,  any  one, 
would  ever  get  out!  George  was  holding  my  horse, 
under  shelter  of  a  rock;  but  he  could  stand  it  no 
longer,  and  he  bolted  as  speedily,  if  not  as  gracefully, 
as  possible.  At  the  same  instant,  almost,  some  grape 
went  plowing  under  my  horse,  throwing  dust  and 
gravel  all  about  him,  and  away  he  went,  snorting  and 
scampering  over  the  field.  Dr.  Gabriel  was  faring  no 
better.  A  fragment  of  shell  had  come  close  enough 
to  tear  his  coat ;  another  piece  struck  him  lightly  on 
the  leg,  while  another  passed  harmlessly  under  his 
borse.  At  last,  the  ambulances,  with  the  wounded, 
were  got  into  the  road  by  which  we  had  entered  the 


132  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

field,  and  a  new  and  safer  place  was  sought  for  a  field- 
hospital.  While  descending  the  hill,  on  the  left  of 
which  was  a  strip  of  heavy  timber,  the  rebels  began 
shelling  the  woods  with  the  evident  intention  of  clear- 
ing them  of  troops  getting  into  position,  and  it  was 
not  till  one  of  our  batteries — McMullen's  it  was  after- 
ward discovered — seeing  the  danger,  opened  a  concen- 
trated and  continuous  fire  on  the  rebel  battery,  and 
finally  silenced  it,  that  troops  could  be  moved  up.  A 
large  stone  house  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  belonging 
to  a  Mr.  Vincent  Sanner,  was  selected  for  a  temporary 
hospital,  and  thither  the  wounded  were  carried.  It 
proved  to  be  a  most  admirable  location,  for  it  was  near 
enough  the  scene  of  action  to  secure  attention  to  the 
suffering ;  yet  not  so  near  as  to  unnecessarily  expose 
either  the  wounded  or  those  attending  to  them. 

SINGLE-HANDED,  YET  BRAVE. 

While  the  incidents  just  narrated  were  taking  place, 
a  circumstance  occurred  which  the  boys  delighted  to 
tell.  During  one  of  the  movements  made  by  the 
Eleventh,  to  drive  the  rebels  from  their  position, 
Colonel  Coleman,  unfortunately,  was  cut  off  from  the 
regiment,  and,  on  emerging  from  a  dense  thicket  of 
pine  and  laurel  bushes,  found  himself  confronting 
some  ten  or  a  dozen  rebels,  having  in  charge  several 
Union  soldiers  as  prisoners.  In  an  instant,  he  flour- 
ished his  sword  over  his  head,  dashed  right  at  them, 
and  in  a  stern,  commanding  voice,  ordered  them,  in  no 
very  complimentary  terms,  to  surrender.  Down  went 
every  gun,  and  up  went  every  hand,  and,  ordering  them 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY  LIFE.          133 

to  fall  in,  he  marched  them  within  the  lines — the 
Union  boys  and  the  rebels,  meanwhile,  having  changed 
positions  considerably. 

THE  EEEVEXTH  HOUR. 

"Can't  you  do  something  for  me?  0,  this  is 
awful!"  said  a  young  man,  suffering  greatly  from  a 
wound  in  the  breast.  I  tore  open  the  blood-soaked 
blouse  and  examined  his  wound.  It  was  truly  a  fear- 
ful gash,  and  reluctantly  I  had  to  tell  him  it  was  likely 
he  would  die.  Poor  fellow !  he  looked  up  so  piteously 
in  my  face,  and  said,  very  sadly,  "  Then  I  am  lost — I 
must  go  to  hell!" 

"Why  are  you  lost?"  I  said  to  him. 

"0!"  said  he,  in  answer,  "I  have  sinned  against 
God — I  have  resisted  the  spirit — I  have  been  a  very 
wicked  boy — I  am  lost!  I  am  lost!" 

"  God  so  loved  the  world,"  said  I,  repeating  one  of 
the  most  precious  texts  of  Scriptures,  "that  he  gave 
his  only  begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  on  him 
might  not  perish,  but  have  everlasting  life.  God  is 
gracious.  Look  to  him  for  mercy ;  he  will  in  no  wise 
cast  you  out." 

"What  is  the  use  of  trying  now,  after  sinning  as  I 
have  done  ?  God  won't  accept  of  such  a  miserable  sin- 
ner's prayer  as  mine  is  for  mercy,  now,  at  this  late 
hour.  0  God!  what  shall  I  do?  What  shall  I  do?" 

"Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt 
be  saved." 

"Are  you  a  chaplain?" 

"Yes." 


134          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

"Then,  will  you  pray  for  me?" 

"Yes,  I  will,  comrade.  Let  me  put  this  wet  cloth 
on  your  wound  first.  There,  you'll  feel  easier  now. 
And  take  a  little  of  this  wine,  too — it  will  do  you  good." 

Kneeling  beside  him,  for  a  few  moments,  I  tried  to 
preach  to  him  Jesus  and  the  resurrection.  I  told  him 
that,  sinful  and  unworthy  as  he  might  be,  he  was 
precious  in  the  sight  of  God ;  that  the  Savior  had  suf- 
fered and  died  for  him,  and  that  salvation  was  freely 
offered,  on  condition  of  trusting  in  Christ  as  his  all- 
sufficient  Savior. 

Others  requiring  attention,  I  left  him  for  a  short 
time.  In  the  mean  time,  he  was  placed  in  a  more  com- 
fortable position.  Returning  in  the  course  of  per- 
haps half  an  hour,  I  asked  him  if  he  had  ever  prayed, 
and  whether  he  could  not  pray  now. 

"Yes,"  said  he,  "I  have  tried  to  pray  many  times, 
when  I  was  a  better  boy  than  I  am  now;  and  I  have 
been  trying  to  pray  since  I  have  been  wounded.  0, 
Lord  Jesus,  have  mercy  upon  me !  Here,  Lord,  I 
give  myself  away;  'tis  all  that  I  can  do." 

As  his  eyes  grew  dim,  and  death's  dark  shadows 
were  passing  over  his  countenance,  it  was  evident  that 
this  dying  soldier  craved  but  one  earthly  boon — that 
of  being  at  home  in  this  his  young  life's  last  hour! 
He  whispered  something  about  his  far-off  Michigan 
home,  and  sighed  sadly  as  he  expressed  the  wish  to 
see  home  and  friends  before  he  died.  But  already  the 
wheels  of  life's  fountain  were  moving  slowly — were 
about  to  stand  still,  and  the  silver  cord  was  just  being 
loosed!  Death's  mysteries  were  being  solved  no  less 
solemnly,  on  this  fearful  field  of  carnage  and  death, 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  135 

than  in  the  peaceful  chamber,  where  the  dying  are 
Boothed  with  love's  ministry! 

"  Won't  you  stay  beside  me  till  the  last — won't  you, 
chaplain  ?  " 

"  Yes,  certainly  I  will." 

"Pray  for  me,  then — pray  that  God  may  have  mercy 
on  ine." 

I  engaged  in  prayer  with  him.  Soon  all  was  hushed 
and  quiet  around  us,  save  the  stifled  groans  of  the  suf- 
ferers and  the  roar  of  battle.  Surgeons  and  assistants 
paused,  for  a  moment,  and  a  little  sanctuary  was  found 
in  that  place  of  indescribable  horrors. 

"Did  you  hear  the  prayer?"  I  asked. 

"  Yes,"  said  he,  "  I  did — and  I  have  thrown  myself 
as  a  sinner  into  the  arms  of  Jesus,  and  he  will  save 
me.  Lord,  I  believe,  I  believe !  Bless,  bless  the  Lord ! " 

In  a  few  minutes  the  suffering  soldier  ceased  to 
breathe.  He  rested  from  all  earth's  battles — he  slept 
his  last  sleep  ! 

PATRIOTIC  TILL  THE  LAST. 

While  the  battle  was  raging  fiercely,  among  the 
many  wounded  which  were  brought  off,  was  a  man 
who  had  received  a  mortal  wound,  and  was  evidently 
in  a  dying  condition.  As  soon  as  he  was  laid  down 
on  the  grass,  I  went  to  him  to  see  what  could  be  done 
for  him.  Life's  crimson  current  was  ebbing  fast  away ; 
his  face  was  ghastly  pale,  and  his  eyes  were  already  dim. 

"  Raise  me  up — raise  me  up  once  more  ! "  said  the 
dying  man,  earnestly,  but  feebly.  "Now — there — tha* 
will  do.  Give  me  water — water — water  ! " 


136  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE. 

Water  was  put  to  his  lips,  but  he  would  not  drink. 

"  Stop ! "  said  lie,  seizing  the  tin-cup  with  great  eager- 
ness. "Here's  to  my  country!  Here's  to  the  glori- 
ous Stars  and  Stripes  !  I  die  for  my  country  !  Boys, 
never  give  up  ! " 

His  lips  quivered,  and  he  fell  back  exhausted.  ,  My 
attention  was  called  away  by  Dr.  Gabriel,  who  wie'hed 
me  to  assist  him,  and,  as  I  left  this  noble,  dying  sol- 
dier, I  felt  to  say,  "  This  is  a  scene  of  patriotism  in- 
deed !  One  thing  more  would  make  it  complete,  and 
shed  upon  it  unfading  luster — and  that  one  thing  is, 
the  dying  patriot-soldier  looking  to  the  crucified  Sav- 
ior as  the  Captain  of  his  salvation."  Perhaps,  poor, 
suffering,  noble  man,  thy  brave  heart  was  resting  on 
Christ,  and  thou  couldst  be  all  the  braver  in  the  hour 
of  battle  and  in  the  agony  of  death  because  thou  didst 
trust  in  him ! 

That  scene  will  never  be  forgotten  by  those  who  be- 
held it.  There  was  something  about  it  so  thrillingly 
pathetic,  so  truly  noble  and  grand,  and  yet  so  natural, 
earnest,  and  honest,  that  it  seemed  more  a  scene  of 
martyrdom  than  an  event  on  the  battlefield. 

He  was  buried,  along  with  others,  in  the  orchard 
near  which  he  fell.  Over  his  honored  grave  will  the 
apple-blooms  fall  in  fragrant  showers  of  beauty,  and 
the  summer  birds  will  warble  the  notes  of  a  holy  re- 
quiem. 

"  Hushed  be  the  song  and  the  love-notes  of  gladness 

That  broke  with  the  morn  from  the  cottager's  door — 
Muffle  the  tread  in  the  soft  stealth  of  sadness 

For  one  who  returneth — whose  chamber  lamp  burneth — 

No  more. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  137 

"  Silent  he  lies  on  the  broad  path  of  glory 

Where  withers,  ungarnered,  the  red  crop  of  war; 
Grand  is  his  couch,  thq'  the  pillows  are  gory, 

'Mid  forms  that  shall  battle,  'mid  guns  that  shall  rattle 

No  more. 

"  Soldier  of  Freedom !  tfey  marches  are  ended — • 

The  dreams  that  were  prophets  of  triumph  are  o'er ; 
Death,  with  the  night  of  thy  manhood  is  blended; 

The  bugle  shall  call  thee — the  fight  shall  enthrall  thee 

No  more." 

Many  a  time  I  have  felt  to  contrast  the  hearty  zeal 
and  devotion  of  that  soldier  who  had  laid  his  all,  even 
life  itself,  upon  the  altar  of  his  country,  with  the  cra- 
ven, cowardly  croakers  who,  safely  at  home,  and  pro- 
tected by  the  patriot  braves  on  the  field,  were,  never- 
theless, sympathizing  with  traitor  hordes — not,  perhaps, 
because  they  really  desired  the  ruin  of  the  country, 
but  because  they  placed  their  own  personal  selfish  in- 
terests* above  country  and  liberty  and  humanity.  If 
posterity  will  ever  do  justice  to  the  memories  of  the 
Union  soldiers  who  bared  their  bosoms  to  the  battle- 
storms  of  an  accursed  slaveholders'  rebellion,  and 
placed  themselves  as  a  living,  breathing  wall  around 
freedom's  sanctuary,  and  faltered  not  when  the  day 
was  darkest  and'  the  storm  of  treason  howled  loud- 
est, then  posterity  will  also  do  justice  to  the  memo- 
ries of  those  who,  through  a  wicked  pro-slavery  spirit, 
sought,  with  remorseless  hate  and  blind  prejudice,  to 
overturn  the  holy  places  of  Liberty  and  Truth,  and 
rear  upon  their  ruins  the  polluted  altars  of  Wrong  and 
Outrage !  The  former,  crowned  with  undying  laurels, 
will  go  down  to  posterity  as  the  cherished  of  every 
noble  heart ;  the  latter,  covered  with  eternal  shame 
12 


138  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

and  held  in  deepest  abhorrence  by  all  the  good  and 
great  of  all  ages,  will  be  numbered  with  the  Judases 
and  the  Arnolds  of  the  world. 

On  Monday  morning,  at  an  early  hour,  the  work  of 
removing  the  wounded  was  resumed.  Going  over  the 
field,  it  was  easy  to  see  the  sanguinary  character  of 
the  struggle  of  the  previous  day.  In  many  places 
the  dead  lay  in  great  windrows,  which  seemed  as  if 
some  remorseless  reaper  from  Death's  dark  domain 
had  come,  and,  with  unerring  ami, 

"Wielding  a  sickle  keen" — 

cut  down,  with  one  fell  'sweep,  the  ranks  of  living, 
breathing  humanity,  and  left  them  ready  to  be  gar- 
nered into  the  silent,  rueful  shades  of  the  grave !  In 
one  place — a  long,  narrow  lane,  protected  by  a  low 
stone  wall,  from  behind  which  the  rebels  fought  stub- 
bornly, and  where  -the  Eleventh  and  Twenty-third 
Ohio  Regiments  made  some  of  their  most  desperate 
assaults,  and  finally  drove  the  enemy  at  the  point  of 
the  bayonet — the  rebel  dead  lay  two  and  three  deep, 
just  as  they  fell !  In  another  place — nearer  the  corner 
of  the  open  field,  and  close  by  a  small  log-house, 
where  the  most  desperate  fighting,  perhaps,  ever 
known,  took  place  between  Ohio  and  South  Carolina 
troops,  already  referred  to  on  a  previous  page — fifteen 
rebel  dead  lay  within  a  space  of  three  steps!  Some 
were  lying  with  their  hands  stretched  toward  heaven, 
as  if  imploring  mercy,  or  calling  down  vengeance 
upon  the  heads  of  those  who  had  led  them  into  rebel- 
lion, and  brought  them  to  a  traitor's  fate.  Others 
were  in  the  act  of  firing,  having  been  shot  dead  while 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          139 

pointing  their  guns  at  the  bosoms  of  those  who  were 
defending  righteous,  government.  Others — friends  and 
foes — had  rolled  over  and  over,  as  if  trying  to  escape 
from  the  fiery  blast,  and  in  their  untold  agony  had 
gnashed  their  teeth  and  bitten  the  dust  reddened  with 
their  own  blood!  Others  had  crawled  away  into  the 
shelter  of  some  pine  and  laurel  bushes,  andv  unseen 
by  mortal  eye,  unsoothed  by  words  of  comrade  or 
friend,  had  breathed  their  last!  0!  it  was  a  terrible 
sight !  Not  in  poetry  or  painting,  or  mere  description 
of  the  historian,  who  deals  only  in  "  brilliant  charges," 
"glorious  victories,"  "serried  hosts  rushing  to  vic- 
tory," and  "gleaming  sabers  and  nodding  plumes," 
but,  0 !  in  stern  reality  was  this  a  battlefield !  The 
horse  and  his  rider,  "in  one  red  burial  blent,"  were 
here!  and  "garments  rolled  in  blood,"  and  corpses, 
stark  and  stiff,  heaps  upon  heaps,  were  all  here !  And 
as  I  looked  over  this  bloody  field,  and  gazed  upon  the 
lifeless  forms  of  friend  and  foe — those  who  had  fallen 
under  the  glorious  Stars  and  Stripes,  and  those  who 
had  met  a  traitor's  death  beneath  a  traitor's  flag — I 
asked,  "  0  God !  who  slew  all  these  ?  "  and  the  answer 
came  back  to  me,  as  if  in  the  low  wail  of  a  funeral 
dirge,  "THESE  WERE  ALL  SLAIN  BY  THE  INFERNAL 
SPIRIT  OF  SLAVERY!  AND  THERE  SHALL  BE  NO  PEACE 
TILL  OPPRESSION  IS  DESTROYED.  THE  SWORD  SHALL 
DEVOUR  TILL  SLAVERY  IS  NO  MORE!" 


CHAPTER  IX. 

THE    IDEAL    AND    THE    ACTUAL A    THRILLING    SCENE MY    BROTHER! 

0,    MY    BROTHER  1 — ANGELIC   WORK. 

Mind  must  love  mind:  the  great  and  good  are  friends; 
And  he  is  but  half  great  who  is  not  good. 
And  0 !  humanity  is  the  fairest  flower 
Blooming  in  earthly  breasts ;    so  sweet  and  pure 
That  it  might  freshen  even  the  fadeless  wreaths 
Twined  round  the  golden  harps  of  those  in  heaven. 

FESTCB. 

THE  POETRY  AND  REALITY  OF  WAR. 

THE  poetry  of  war !  exclaims  some  one,  in  surprise. 
Has  war  any  thing  poetic  about  it?  Yes,  it  has;  but, 
as  poetry  is  essentially  ideal,  not  actual,  so  the  poetry 
of  war  is  war  only  in  idea.  There  is  a  great  differ- 
ence between  the  ideal  and  the  actual  in  every  thing; 
and  that  which  is  simply  ideal  is  one  thing,  and  that 
which  is  actual  is  entirely  another.  Ideal  war,  as 
presented  to  us  on  the  pages  of  the  historian,  the 
canvas  of  the  painter,  or  the  dashing,  brilliant,  spirited 
letters  of  "  special  correspondents,"  is  vastly  different 
from  actual  war,  as  exhibited  on  the  battlefield  and 
in  the  hospital.  Ideal  war  has  tinsel  and  plumes, 
waving  banners  and  flashing  swords,  wreaths  of  flow- 
ers and  silver  medals,  the  plaudits  of  brave  men  and 
(140) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE.          141 

the  smiles  of  beautiful  women.  Actual  war  has 
hunger  and  thirst,  cold  and  weariness.  It  has  the 
saber-stroke  deep  in  the  quivering  flesh,  and  the 
bayonet-thrust  in  the  beating  heart.  It  has  the  burst- 
ing shell  and  the  hissing  shot,  crashing  and  tearing 
through  solid  ranks  of  living  men  like  the  furious 
storm-blast  in  the  forest.  It  has  ghastly  wounds  and 
"garments  rolled  in  blood,"  the  agonizing  cry  of  the 
wounded,  and  the  stifled  moan  of  the  dying.  It  has 
the  crowded  hospital,  with  wearisome  days  and  still 
more  wearisome  nights  for  the  sick  and  wounded,  and 
where  oftentimes — as  after  a  battle — every  look  seems 
to  be  agony,  and  every  word  a  suppressed  groan,  a 
petition  for  help,  or  a  cry  for  mercy.  It  has  the  tear- 
ful eyes  of  those  who  look  wistfully  for  absent  ones 
who  will  return  no  more,  and  it  has  the  sad,  sad  sigh 
of  burdened,  broken  hearts.  It  has  Rachels  weeping 
for  their  children,  and  refusing  to  be  comforted  be- 
cause they  are  not.  It  has  lonely  widows  and  deso- 
late orphans.  And  whosoever  may  causelessly  and 
wickedly  initiate  war,  has  the  execration  of  all  the 
truly  good,  and  the  curse  of  a  righteous  God. 

Even  when  waged  for  a  good  cause — when  it  is  for 
the  defense  of  truth  and  righteousness,  and  is  abso- 
lutely necessary  to  roll  back  the  dark  tide-wave  of 
human  oppression,  and  to  destroy  the  foulest  trea- 
son— war  is  still  a  terrible  reality,  as  the  bloody  field 
of  South  Mountain  showed  on  this  eventful  day. 

Glad  though  I  was  that  our  arms  had  been  success- 
ful— that  the  wily,  unscrupulous  foe  had  been  driven 
back — it  was,  nevertheless,  with  saddened  heart  that 
I  gazed  upon  the  fearful  scene.  Time  and  again  I 


142          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

felt  to  say,  "  0 !  Prince  of  Peace,  come  once  more  to 
our  bleeding  country,  and  say  to  the  waves  of  strife, 
1  Be  still!"' 


"  MY  BROTHER  !   MY  DEAR  BROTHER  !  " 

Would  that  my  pen  could  paint  a  picture  seen  on 
the  field  where  our  regiment  had  been  engaged.  While 
passing  through  a  clump  of  laurel  bushes,  through 
which  the  skirmishers  had  been  pushed  forward  on 
the  afternoon  of  the  previous  day,  I  found  a  member 
of  our  regiment  leaning  over  the  dead  body  of  a 
brother  soldier,  while  the  tears  were  trickling  over  his 
cheeks.  The  countenance  of  the  dead  was  calm  and 
placid,  as  if  stilled  in  sweet  repose,  or  as  if  lighted  up 
with  the  sunshine  of  happy  dreams.  At  first  sight  I 
could  hardly  believe  that  from  that  body,  apparently 
just  composed  to  sleep,  the  spark  of  life  had  fled  for- 
ever. But  so  it  was.  A  fragment  of  shell  or  a  grape- 
shot  had  crashed  through  the  side  and  back  of  his  head, 
tearing  away  a  large  portion  of  the  brain,  but  leaving 
the  face  untouched.  And  there  leaned,  or  rather  knelt, 
the  brother  of  the  fallen  soldier,  his  hands  pressed 
upon  his  face,  and  the  hot  tears  trickling  between  his 
fingers — weeping  as  only  brave  men  weep — and  ex- 
claiming, "  My  brother !  0,  my  dear  brother ! " 

That  scene  was  too  sacred  for  intrusion.  Words  of 
common  condolence  would  have  jarred  like  a  discord 
amid  the  subdued  tones  of  anguish  that  burst  from 
the  lips  of  the  living  over  the  placid  face  of  the  dead. 
In  its  sublime  pathos — its  mingled  bravery  and  affec- 
tion, manly  courage  and  womanly  tenderness — it  was 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  143 

one  of  those  scenes  that  can  not  be  described,  and 
which  the  beholder  feels  to  be  so  sacred  he  must  needs 
draw  a  vail  over  it,  lest  it  be  profaned  by  the  gaze  of 
some  thoughtless  intruder.  It  reminded  me  of  that 
scene  once  beheld  on  the  gloomy  mountains  of  Gilboa, 
the  very  thought  of  which  wrung  from  the  heart  of 
the  poet  warrior  and  king  a  requiem  for  the  fallen 
brave,  so  inimitably  touching  and  tender  that  it  will 
find  an  echo  in  every  generous,  manly  bosom  till  the 
end  of  time. 

During  this  day  our  division  lay  partly  on  the  crest 
and  partly  on  the  slope  of  the  hill,  from  which,  after 
desperate  fighting,  the  rebels  had  been  driven  on  the 
previous  day.  The  Eleventh  was  posted  in  the  woods, 
on  the  summit  close  by  a  somewhat  level  plateau, 
where  Simmons's  Battery  had  been  driven,  with  con- 
summate strategy,  to  within  fifty  yards  of  the  rebel 
artillery,  and,  being  well  supported  and  well  manned, 
did  much  toward  driving  the  enemy  from  that  for- 
midable position. 

It  was  while  the  regiment  lay  here  for  a  few  hours 
that  Colonel  Coleman  wrote  his  last  letter  to  loved  ones 
at  home.  I  can  see  him  yet,  sitting  under  a  small  oak 
tree,  with  pen  in  hand,  a  book  on  his  knee  for  a  desk, 
improving  the  few  minutes'  repose  in  recording  for  the 
comfort  of  others  his  hopes  and  desires.  With  that 
frank,  decided  manner  for  which  he  was  distinguished, 
he  told  me,  in  glowing  terms,  of  the  brave  conduct  of 
the  regiment  on  the  previous  day.  He  had  been  some- 
what chafed  and  chagrined  at  some  disparaging  re- 
marks concerning  the  Ohio  troops,  reported  to  him  as 
made  by  some  thoughtless  officer,  with  more  brass  than 


144  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE. 

either  brains  or  bravery.  After  he  had  ventilated  his 
opinion  about  comparative  merit,  he  exclaimed,  with 
great  earnestness,  "I  guess  the  old  Kanawha  division 
•  showed  some  of  them  how  to  fight  within  the  last  week, 
and  we  will  show  them  again.  The  boys  are  eager  for 
an  assault — a  regular  storming  of  some  battery — and 
they'll  have  the  chance,  too,  before  long.  There's  a 
big  fight  or  a  big  run  before  us  yet.  I  am  just  as 
much  afraid  of  death  as  any  one,  but  I'll  lead  the  old 
Eleventh  as  far  as  any  one  dare  go,  and  I  '11  do  it, 
too,  before  long !  " 

THE  WOUNDED  CARED  FOR  AT  MIDDLETOWN. 

As  soon  as  the  more  severely  wounded  were  at- 
tended to  on  the  field,  they  were  sent  back  to  Middle- 
town,  to  general  hospitals  established  there.  It  was 
about  two  and  a  half  miles  from  the  battlefield.  All 
the  churches — Methodist  Protestant,  Lutheran,  and 
Presbyterian — and' also  the  Academy  building  and  some 
private  houses,  were  occupied  as  hospitals.  And  not 
only  were  those  buildings  crowded  to  their  fullest  ex- 
tent, but  many  of  the  poor  fellows  had  to  be  laid  on 
the  grass  outside.  The  Methodist  Church,  in  which 
Dr.  Gabriel  and  I  worked  for  several  days  and  nights, 
was  not  only  crowded,  but  on  Monday  night — the 
night  after  the  battle — the  audience-room,  and  lecture- 
room  below,  were  filled  from  end  to  end,  and  even  the 
aisles  and  pulpit  and  platform  were  crowded  with  the 
wounded  and  the  dying,  so  that  it  was  with  the  utmost 
caution  and  care  that  the  attendants  could  move 
among  them.  "What  a  sad  and  terrible  scene!  And 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          145 

yet,  like  the  silver-lined  storm-clouds  of  the  early 
spring,  this  fearfully  dark  and  dreadful  scene  of  suf- 
fering and  death  had  its  bright  gleams  of  sunshine 
also — the  sunshine  of  Christian  hope  and  joy.  Yes, 
and  Christian  effort,  too — genuine,  practical,  large- 
hearted  sympathy!  While  great  numbers  of  men 
were  busy  collecting  bandages,  preparing  mattresses, 
bringing  hot  tea  and  coffee,  assisting  to  unload  the 
ambulances  as  they  drove  up  in  quick  succession  with 
their  loads  of  torn,  bleeding  humanity,  the  ladies  were 
also  at  work  amid  those  terrible  scenes  of  suffering 
and  death,  ministering  to  all  with  that  tact  and  deli- 
cacy of  sympathy  of  which  woman  alone  is  suscepti- 
ble. Like  pitying  angels  from  the  better  world,  intent 
only  on  fulfilling  some  mission  of  love  and  gentleness, 
they  moved  amid  those  dread  scenes  of  mortal  anguish, 
literally  dealing  bread  to  the  hungry,  giving  drink  to  the 
thirsty,  soothing  the  suffering,  and  speaking  peace  to 
the  dying.  The  objects  of  their  pity  and  kind  minis- 
trations lay  there,  in  all  the  stern  realities  of  fiery 
battle,  helpless  and  bleeding,  their  faces  begrimed 
with  powder  and  their  garments  'rolled  in  dust  and 
blood — sometimes  giving  vent  to  their  anguish  in  low, 
suppressed  groans,  or  in  sharp,  short,  piercing  shrieks, 
all  of  which  seemed  to  render  the  place  and  the  cir- 
cumstances unfit  for  woman's  keenly  sensitive  and 
sympathetic  nature.  But,  although  some  of  them  had 
blanched  cheeks  and  quivering  lips,  they  resolutely 
went  forward  in  their  blessed  work.  There  was  one 
whose  great  personal  beauty  and  lady-like  deportment, 
as  well  as  her  kind  attentions  and  winning,  soothing 
language,  seemed  to  invest  with  more  of  heaven  than 
13 


146  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   AKMY  LIFE. 

earth.  Dressed  in  a  robe  of  pure  white,  her  only  jew- 
elry the  ring  on  her  finger  and  a  small  brilliant  with 
which  her  collar  was  fastened,  she  moved  now  here, 
now  there,  as  an  angel  of  light.  Her  husband,  the 

Rev. ,  was  there  also,  aiding  in  the  good  work. 

Several  times  I  noticed  that  her  lips  quivered  and 
tears  dimmed  her  bright  eye,  but  she  strove  heroic- 
ally for  the  mastery,  and  only,  once  did  she  give  way 
to  her  feelings — when  she  knelt  beside  a  dying  youth, 
whose  last  words  were  of  mother  and  Jesus  and 
heaven.  Seemingly,  by  tacit  consent,  she  superin- 
tended the  whole  work  of  that  ministry  of  love  and 
sympathy.  Her  clear,  mellow  voice,  soft  and  musical 
as  a  lute,  could  be  heard  now  here,  now  there,  during 
that  day  and  the  greater  part  of  the  night,  condoling 
with  one,  encouraging  another,  and  even  breaking  out 
into  a  low,  musical  laugh  as  some  rough,  rollicking 
fellow,  with  a  ball  through  his  arm  or  leg,  told  her 
how  he  "Had  put  a  spider  in  the  dough  of  some  of 
the  graybacks  before  he  came  so  near  having  his  own 
chunk  knocked  out ! " 

If  even  a  cup  of  cold  water  given  in  the  name  of 
Christ  shall  in  no  wise  lose  its  reward,  then  those 
noble  women,  who  ministered  to  our  brave  soldiers  on 
that  trying  and  terrible  occasion,  will  not  be  forgotten 
by  the  ever-Living  and  ever-loving  Redeemer. 


CHAPTER  X. 

ANTIETAX ASSAULT     ON     THE    STONE     BRIDGE DEATH     OF     COLONEL 

COLEMAN VICTORY    AND     RESULTS DISSATISFACTION    WITH     GEN- 
ERAL   H;CLELLAN. 

BATTLE  OF  ANTIETAM. 

ON  Wednesday,  the  17th  of  September,  the  great 
battle  of  Antietam  was  fought.  It  is  not  the  design 
of  this  unpretending  volume  to  give  minute  or  even 
general  details  of  engagements  to  which  reference  may 
be  made.  As  the  title  indicates,  it  is  but  Lights  and 
Shadows  of  army  experiences.  Little  glimpses  of 
sunshine  here,  and  little  darkening  clouds  yonder — 
little  incidents  now  and  then — are  all  the  author 
aspires  to  give.  Hence,  general  details  will  not  be 
given,  being  entirely  outside  the  scope  of  this  little 
work. 

But  a  word  or  two  relative  to  the  share  taken  in  it 
by  the  Eleventh  and  other  regiments. 

On  Monday,  after  the  battle  of  South  Mountain,  the 
army  moved  forward  toward  Sharpsburg.  General 
Richardson's  division  of  Sumner's  corps  was  in  the 
advance,  and  moved  through  Boonesboro'  to  Keedys- 
ville.  The  splendid  Eighth  Illinois  Cavalry,  under 
Farnsworth,  was  attached  to  Sumner's  corps,  and,  as 
usual,  pushed  on  in  the  advance.  During  that  day 

(147) 


148          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

little  more  was  done  than  to  reconnoiter  the  position" 
which  Lee  held,  and  post  the  troops  as  they  came  up. 
The  forenoon  of  Tuesday  passed  without  any  general 
movement,  but,  between  two  and  three  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  Hooker,  who  was  in  command  of  the  right 
wing,  crossed  the  Antietam  by1  the  upper  bridge  and 
by  a  ford  near  Fray's  Mill.  Extensive  cornfields,  in 
the  fullness  and  freshness  of  the  early  autumn, 
stretched  away  to  the  north  and  west.  In  these,  con- 
cealed by  the  tall,  tasseled  corn,  were  the  rebel  pickets 
and  sharp-shooters.  Hooker  drove  in  the  enemy's 
pickets,  opened  briskly  with  artillery  and  musketry, 
keeping  up  the  skirmishing  till  dark,  and  that  night 
his  advance  lines  occupied  a  portion  of  the  cornfields 
and  woods  in  which  the  enemy  had  taken  position  on 
the  morning.  Meanwhile,  Burnside,  who  was  in  com- 
mand of  one  of  the  grand  divisions  of  the  army,  had  his 
troops  posted  on  the  left,  the  most  difficult  position  in 
the  whole  field,  the  greater  part  of  it  being  rough  and 
broken,  and  shaded  here  and  there  by  dense  oak 
woods.  During  the  night  the  Kanawha  division, 
under  General  Crook,  was  brought  into  position  near 
the  lower  bridge — Simmons's  and  McMullen's  batteries 
being  so  placed  as  to  command  the  bridge  and  bluffs 
beyond.  That  night  the  troops  lay  on  their  arms, 
prepared  to  move  at  a  moment's  notice. 

On  Wednesday,  the  17th,  scarcely  had  the  gray  dawn 
of  the  early  morn  revealed  the  dim  outline  of  the 
Sharpsburg  hills,  when  the  loud,  roaring  echoes,  roll- 
ing along  the  mountains  and  through  the  valleys, 
announced  that  the  dread  work  of  death  had  begun. 
Hooker  opened  on  the  right,  replying  to  the  rebel 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  149 

batteries  with  tremendous  and  almost  uninterrupted 
explosions.  The  green  cornfields  in  his  front  were 
soon  ablaze  with  musketry,  while  dusky  forms  were 
seen  to  move  hither  and  thither,  or  spring  into  the 
air  with  a  deathly  shriek,  spin  round,  and  fall  to  rise 
no  more.  For  nearly  four  hours  Hooker  alone  en- 
gaged the  enemy.  For  some  reason  or  other,  the 
left  and  center  did  little  more  than  maintain  their 
skirmish-line,  although  the  rebel  artillery  sent  the 
missiles  of  death  thundering  and  crashing  over  and 
among  them  continually  as  they  lay  in  line  of  battle. 
Finally,  at  about  ten  o'clock,  Burnside  received  orders 
from  McClellan  to  advance.  The  order  was : 

"You  are  to  carry  the  bridge,  gain  the  hights  be- 
yond, and  advance  along  their  crest  to  Sharpsburg, 
and  gain  the  rear  of  the  enemy." 

The  command  was  instantly  given,  and  the  extreme 
left  was  soon  in  motion.  McMullen's  and  Simmons's 
batteries  opened  with  grape  and  canister,  varied  now 
and  then  with  solid  shot  and  shell.  Rodman's  division 
was  ordered  to  cross  by  a  ford  about  a  quarter  of  a  mile 
below  the  bridge,  and  the  Kanawha  division,  under 
Crook,  supported  by  Connecticut  and  Pennsylvania 
troops,  were  ordered  to  storm  the  bridge.  The  Elev- 
enth Ohio,  which  had  been  deployed  as  skirmishers, 
was  withdrawn  from  the  skirmish -line  preparatory  to 
the  desperate  work,  and  the  entire  brigade  formed  in 
line  under  cover  of  the  woods. 

The  position  held  by  the  rebels  at  this  point  was 
the  strongest  on  the  whole  field.  It  was  a  steep  bluff, 
part  of  it  a  limestone  ledge,  along  which  the  rebels 
had  made  extensive  rifle-pits,  and  thrown  up  fortifica- 


150          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

tions  of  logs  and  stones.  The  bluffs  and  the  ridge 
beyond  were  bristling  with  cannon,  which  commanded 
all  the  approaches,  while  along  the  stone  walls  and  in 
the  cornfields  the  rebel  infantry  lay  massed  in  thou- 
sands. The  bridge  was  a  massive  stone  structure  of 
three  arches,  and  about  twelve  or  fourteen  feet  wide. 
A  short  distance  from  the  bridge,  and  half-way  up 
the  bluff,  was  a  limestone  quarry,  in  which  were  shel- 
tered sharp-shooters.  The  work  to  be  done,  therefore, 
on  the  part  of  the  Union  forces  at  this  formidable 
point,  was  of  no  ordinary  character. 

The  fearful  moment  arrived.  Skirmishers  were  ad- 
vanced to  clear  the  bridge  and  ledges  of  rebel  sharp- 
shooters. "Forward!"  rang  out  along  the  lines,  and 
the  assaulting  column  charged  on  the  bridge.  The 
opposite  bluffs  and  ledges  and  ridge  were  instantly 
lighted  up  with  one  long  sheet  of  flame.  Volley  after 
volley  of  musketry  was  driven  into  the  faces  of  the 
advancing  columns,  while  the  artillery  swept  the 
bridge  with  one  incessant,  pitiless  storm  of  grape  and 
canister.  The  head  of  the  column  pushed  on  bravely, 
but  was  seen  to  waver  and  literally  melt  away  before 
such  a  murderous  blast.  In  vain  the  heroic  champions 
of  freedom  struggled  against  the  driving  storm  of  iron 
and  lead  that  tore  remorselessly  through  their  ranks ! 
In  vain  they  attempted  to  gain  the  bluffs  which,  from 
end  to  end,  were  enveloped  in  one  long  line  of  flame 
and  smoke!  In  vain  they  threw  themselves  forward 
with  desperate  energy  to  seize  the  guns  from  whose 
brazen  throats  were  belching  forth  destruction  and 
death !  After  a  heroic  struggle,  they  had  to  withdraw 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  151 

from  the  unequal  contest,  and  fall  back  to  the  shelter 
of  a  wooded  ridge. 

At  this  juncture,  an  aid  from  General  McClellan 
rode  up  to  General  Burnside,  with  the  short,  decisive 
order : 

"  Assault  the  bridge,  and  carry  it  at  all  hazards ! " 

To  accomplish  this  was  an  absolute  necessity. 
Hooker,  who  had  now  been  fighting  seven  or  eight 
hours  on  the  right,  was  being  pressed  by  the  massed 
forces  on  Lee's  left,  and  the  bridge  must  be  stormed 
and  the  bights  carried,  at  whatever  cost,  in  order  to 
turn  Lee's  right,  and  relieve  Hooker.  Burnside  had 
but  twelve  or  fourteen  thousand  men  covering  his 
entire  line.  The  bridge  and  the  bluffs  alone  were 
held  by  six  thousand  rebel  troops,  even  before  being 
reinforced  by  Hill's  command,  which,  ere  this,  had 
come  up  to  their  support.  Burnside  sent  for  rein- 
forcements. McClellan  replied  he  could  send  none. 
Burnside,  whose  eagle  eye  took  in  the  whole  position 
at  a  glance,  saw  that  on  that  bridge  hinged  the  for- 
tunes of  the  day,  and  that  the  position  must  be  gained 
at  all  hazards. 

"That  bridge  must  be  taken,"  said  he  to  Cox;  "but 
you  have  n't  force  enough  to  do  it." 

"  I  can  take  it,  General,  if  you  order  it,"  said  Cox, 
in  his  quiet,  unassuming  manner. 

Burnside  was  cautious — he  was  dubious. 

"If  you  order  me  to  take  that  bridge,"  said  Cox, 
"  I  '11  do  it !  I  know  my  men — I  know  what  they 
can  do!" 

The    order   is  given,  and   again  preparations   are 


152  LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY   LIFE. 

made  to  storm  the  bridge.  In  the  grand  assault  the 
Eleventh  Ohio,  supported  by  a  Pennsylvania  regiment, 
is  to  advance  so  as  to  form  a  strong  skirmish  line,  or 
storming  party,  as  circumstances  may  dictate,  while 
Connecticut  and  Maryland  troops  are  also  formed  for 
the  same  purpose.  Colonel  Coleman  has  formed  his 
lines;  the  regiment  is  moving  forward — steady,  de- 
termined, and  hopeful — toward  the  bridge,  from  be- 
hind the  massive  stone  parapets  of  which,  as  well  as 
from  the  rocky  ledges  beyond,  the  rebel  skirmishers 
and  sharp-shooters  are  again  keeping  up  a  continuous 
volley  of  musketry.  Just  at  this  juncture  Colonel 
Coleman  falls  mortally  wounded,  while  leading  and 
cheering  on  to  victory  those  whose  steady  tread  he 
knows  so  well,  and  whose  tried  bravery  he  can  ever 
trust.  Almost  at  the  same  instant  Captain  Weller,  of 
Company  H,  is  wounded,  and  both  officers  are  re- 
moved to  the  rear.  The  regiment  is,  for  a  moment, 
paralyzed ;  for  they  have  learned  to  trust  the  skill  and 
bravery  of  their  fallen  chief,  and  this  is  a  trying  hour. 
But  there  is  no  time  to  pause  on  this  dread  field  of 
death,  even  although  the  good  and  brave  may  fall; 
and,  vowing  to  avenge  the  death  of  their  officers,  the 
troops  rush  forward,  a  noble  band  of  brave  men.  On- 
ward, still  onward,  sweeps  the  roaring  tide-wave  of 
battle.  The  bridge  is  gained,  and  the  rebel  skirmish- 
ers are  driven  back.  Simmons  and  McMullen  now 
rain  a  perfect  storm  of  grape  and  canister  on  the 
massed  forces,  who,  with  desperate  energy,  are  striv- 
ing to  hold  the  position.  The  rebels,  on  the  other 
hand,  are  playing  on  the  bridge,  and  the  stones  fly 
from  the  parapets  and  arches.  Splinters  of  wood  and 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE.          153 

stone  are  flying  in  all  directions,  while  the  shell  and 
grape-shot  scream  and  hiss  over  and  through  the 
ranks  of  the  advancing  columns.  But  at  last  the  cen- 
ter of  the  bridge  is  gained;  then  the  western  extrem- 
ity. Cheers  go  up  from  the  struggling  heroes,  which 
are  answered  by  others  further  down  the  creek.  Sim- 
mons wheels  two  guns  so  as  to  sweep  the  ridge. 
"Hurrah!  forward!  forward!"  is  the  cry.  The  bluff 
is  gained.  Up,  up  the  struggling  heroes  climb,  or 
crawl,  digging  their  hands  or  bayonets  into  the  steep 
sides  in  their  efforts  to  reach  the  top.  They  are  suc- 
cessful !  The  bridge  is  secured,  after  a  desperate 
struggle.  The  rebels  are  driven  from  their  rifle-pits 
and  batteries  on  the  ridge,  and  the  glorious  Stars  and 
Stripes  now  gleam  in  the  slanting  rays  of  the  after- 
noon sun!  Lee's  right  is  turned  by  this  costly  but 
brilliant  movement,  and  the  issues  of  the  day  are 
decided. 

The  boastful  slaveholding  rebel  —  the  notorious 
Toombs,  who  proudly  prophesied  he  would  see  the  day 
when  he  would  call  the  roll  of  his  slaves  at  the  foot  of 
Bunker  Hill  Monument — was  in  command  of  the  rebel 
forces  at  this  point.  But  the  "Sword  of  Bunker 
Hill"  gleamed  that  day  in  his  traitor  face,  and  he 
shrunk  from  its  keen,  conquering  edge.  So  let  it 
gleam,  and  never  let  that  sword  be  sheathed  till  the 
last  traitor  foe  is  subdued,  and  the  last  slave  is  free! 

That  night,  after  one  of  the  most  sanguinary  battles 
of  the  war,  the  Union  forces  rested  upon  the  field,  from 
every  point  of  which  the  enemy  had  been  driven,  scat- 
tered, and  confused.  It  was  truly  a  great  victory,  but, 
alas  !  at  what  a  cost  of  precious  lives ! 


154  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 


DEATH  OF  COLONEL  COLEMAN. 

Colonel  Coleman  was  wounded  in  the  arm  and  side, 
the  ball  lodging  against  the  spine.  At  first,  neither 
he  nor  his  attendants  apprehended  that  his  wounds 
were  of  a  serious  nature;  but,  two  hours  after  his  re- 
moval from  the  front,  his  brave  spirit  passed  away. 
He  was  sensible  till  the  last,  and,  although  suffering 
acutely,  he  uttered  no  complaint.  His  death  cast  a 
gloom  over  the  entire  regiment,  every  man  of  whom 
had  learned  to  respect  him  for  his  manly,  open  frank- 
ness, and  for  his  well-known  military  skill  and  bravery. 
Had  he  lived,  no  doubt  he  would  have  risen  to  distinc- 
tion in  the  service  of  his  country ;  for,  to  natural 
talents  of  a  high  order,  he  added  those  derived  from  a 
West  Point  education. 

"  He  sleeps  his  last  sleep,  he  has  fought  his  last  battle  ; 
He  ne'er  shall  awaken  to  glory  again." 

Peace  be  to  his  memory!  He  fills  the  honored 
grave  of  a  patriot  soldier,  and  his  noblest  monument 
is  the  affectionate  remembrances  of  brave  men. 


THE  FIELD  AFTER  THE  BATTLE. 

There  was  something  inexpressibly  saddening  in  the 
appearance  of  the  Antietam  battlefield.  This  was  es- 
pecially true  of  the  right  and  center.  On  the  right 
of  the  Sharpsburg  road,  where  the  gallant  Hooker  was 
engaged,  the  carnage  was  fearful,  and  the  sight  that 
met  the  eye  everywhere  was  of  the  most  ghastly  and 
terrible  character.  Among  solid  shot — fragments  of 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE.          155 

shell,  broken  caissons,  splintered  artillery  wheels,  over- 
turned gun-carriages,  empty  ammunition-boxes,  car- 
tridge-cases, and  the  mangled  carcasses  of  artillery 
horses — lay  hundreds  upon  hundreds  of  the  wounded, 
the  dying,  and  the  dead.  On  the  night  after  the 
battle,  and  during  the  succeeding  day,  twelve  hun- 
dred wounded  soldiers  were  brought  to  one  barn  and 
barn-yard.  In  another  barn,  not  far  from  this,  were 
six  hundred,  and  in  another,  seven  hundred.  It  is 
no  exaggeration  to  say  that,  on  that  day  of  dreadful 
conflict,  the  dead  lay  in  heaps,  and  the  wounded  in 
thousands.  While  the  battle  was  raging  most  fierce- 
ly, the  rebel  artillery  could  be  seen  mowing  down 
Hooker's  veteran  troops,  leaving  great  gaps,  which 
were  instantly  filled  up,  only  to  be  opened  again  as 
the  murderous  shell  or  grape  was  hurled  against 
them.  And  even  on  the  various  roads  leading  from 
the  field,  the  sad  tale  of  suffering  and  death  was 
told;  for  the  ambulances  were  constantly  engaged  in 
carrying  off  their  loads  of  bleeding,  dying  men,  whose 
life-blood  was  trickling  down  through  the  ambulance 
floors  and  mingling  with  the  dust  of  the  hoof-trodden 
field,  or  staining  the  hard  granite  bowlders  and  broken 
stones  of  the  turnpike  !  No  one,  with  common  feelings 
of  humanity,  could  look  upon  such  terrible  scenes 
unmoved,  nor  forget  that  around  each  one  of  the 
thousands  of  killed  and  wounded  clustered  many 
warm  affections,  and  that  there  was  no  one  on  this 
bloody  field  so  lonely,  wretched,  or  forsaken  as  that  for 
him  throbbed  no  loving  heart,  and  for  him  no  tears 
would  be  shed.  As  I  looked  upon  the  hundreds  on 
hundreds  of  killed  and  wounded,  I  thought  of  the 


156          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

distant  homes  of  these  men,  and  how  the  sunlight 
of  hope  and  joy  would  be  quenched  in  grief,  and 
how  mother  and  wife  and  sister  would  clasp  their 
hands  in  speechless  agony,  and  fathers  would  bow 
their  heads  and  weep,  as  only  strong  men  weep,  when 
the  names  of  loved  ones  were  announced  as  among 
the  killed  or  wounded  or  missing.  Not  alone  on 
the  battlefield  was  there  agony  that  day!  Ah!  no. 
There  was  untold  agony  in  thousands  of  hearts,  and 
deepest  gloom  in  thousands  of  homes  far  from  that 
field  of  blood.  Who  could  refrain  from  breathing  a 
prayer  that  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant  might  visit 
every  weeping  household,  and  comfort  every  stricken 
heart  ?  and  that  soon,  0  soon !  the  olive-branch  of 
peace  might  wave  over  our  bleeding,  distracted  coun- 
try, truth  and  righteousness  flourish  in  our  midst,  and 
the  people, 

"  Walking  in  the  light  of  God, 
In  holy  beauty  shine." 

A  GLORIOUS  VICTORY — WHAT  WERE  THE  RESULTS? 

"  But,  then,  't  was  a  glorious  victory  ! " 
So  said  a  certain  moralist,  when  debating  with  him- 
self between  the  feelings  of  national  pride  and  exulta- 
tion over  a  great  victory  and  the  instincts  of  humanity, 
which  revolt  at  the  dreadful  carnage  of  the  battlefield. 
The  Army  of  the  Potomac  achieved  a  glorious  victory 
over  the  legions  of  traitors  and  defenders  of  human 
oppression  during  that  memorable  week  in  September, 
•when,  it  might  be  said,  in  literal  truth,  that  the  very 
earth  drank  blood.  The  glowing  accounts  of  the 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  157 

valor  and  unflinching  devotion  of  the  patriot  soldiers, 
which  appeared  in  the  papers  and  magazines,  were,  by 
no  means,  exaggerated.  Emotions  of  sadness,  how- 
ever, were  mingled  with  the  transports  of  joy;  for, 
"glorious"  though  the  victory  was,  there  were  several 
things  connected  with  it  that  subdued  the  otherwise 
joyful  feelings.  First  of  all,  the  victory  was  pur- 
chased at  a  fearful  sacrifice  of  human  life.  When  the 
last  gun  was  fired,  on  the  evening  of  that  bloody  day, 
there  could  not  have  been  less  than  twenty-five  or 
thirty  thousand  torn,  bleeding  men  lying  on  that  bat- 
tlefield !  General  McClellan  reported,  officially,  a  loss 
of  seventeen  hundred  and  forty-two  killed,  and  eight 
thousand  and  sixty-six  wounded.  The  rebels  acknowl- 
edged a  loss  of  fourteen  thousand  killed  and  wounded. 
What  a  fearful  record  of  suffering  and  death! 

Another  thing  that  tended  rather  to  depress  than 
elevate  the  hearts  of  both  officers  and  men,  was  the  in- 
explicable conduct  of  military  officials  in  holding  back 
the  victorious  Union  army,  when  it  was  known  to 
every  man,  and  published  to  the  world,  that  the  rebels 
were  routed  and  demoralized.  General  McClellan  tel- 
egraphed to  the  War  Department  to  the  effect  that 
the  Union  troops  had  been  everywhere  victorious,  and 
that  the  enemy,  routed  and  demoralized,  was  retreat- 
ing in  great  confusion.  To  all  of  which  it  was  added, 
that  he— McClellan — would  push  forward  vigorously, 
and  follow  up  his  advantages.  But,  notwithstanding 
such  official  announcements  of  a  complete  victory,  and 
the  promise  made  to  follow  it  up,  the  fruits  of  that 
victory  were  never  reaped.  It  was  the  general  ex- 
pectation that  the  army  would  have  moved  forward  on 


158          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

Thursday  morning — next  day.  Thursday  passed ;  still 
no  movement  took  place.  Then  there  must  be  an  ad- 
vance on  Friday  morning — perhaps  some  grand  stra- 
tegic combination  was  being  perfected,  and  a  movement 
would  inevitably  take  place.  There  was  a  moral  cer- 
tainty of  that,  of  course.  But  Friday  came,  and  no 
advance.  Saturday  also  passed — and  then  intelligent 
men  in  the  army,  from  corps  commanders  down,  who 
saw  and  felt  that  then  and  there  were  both  the  time 
and  place  to  strike  one  last  tremendous  blow  on  the 
routed,  demoralized  rebel  army  of  the  East — freely 
yet  bitterly  denounced  the  as  yet  unknown  authors 
of  that  unnecessary  delay. 

"  There  is  something  rotten  in  Denmark,"  was  the 
significant  remark  made  by  some  of  the  bravest  and 
most  accomplished  officers  in  the  Potomac  army. 

"Why  do  we  not  move  forward?"  said  I  to  a  cer- 
tain staff  officer  at  corps  head-quarters,  on  the  after- 
noon of  Saturday. 

"Move  forward!"  he  exclaimed,  bitterly.  "Cow- 
ardice or  treachery  would,  perhaps,  be  the  answer. 
We  have  been  asking  that  question  for  the  last  two 
days.  Lee  has  been  retreating  since  Thursday,  and 
this  is  known,  or  ought  to  be,  at  head-quarters." 

This  was  a  fact.  Major  Jackson,  in  command  of 
the  Eleventh,  had  made  the  report,  through  the  proper 
channels,  that  his  pickets  reported  the  enemy  crossing 
the  river,  evidently  on  the  retreat.  At  the  mess-tables 
of  officers,  and  around  the  camp-fires,  the  question  was 
repeated,  time  and  again,  "Why  don't  we  move,  and 
destroy  the  rebel  army?"  But  day  succeeded  day, 
and  week  succeeded  week,  and  still  the  army  lay  in- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          159 

active.  What  the  design  was  in  thus  holding  in  check 
as  brave  an  army  as  ever  fought,  and  that,  too,  while 
there  was  an  enthusiastic  eagerness  to  follow  up  the 
advantages  gained,  and  thus  end  the  rebellion,  is  al- 
ready patent  to  all  who  have  studied  the  political 
events  of  1864.  The  Chicago  Platform,  with  its  sup- 
porters under  it,  and  its  candidate  once  on  it,  but  now 
under  it,  too,  throw  considerable  light  on  many  things 
hitherto  shrouded  in  mystery.  Never,  since  the  Pil- 
grim Fathers  landed  on  Plymouth  Rock,  has  any  one 
had  such  a  clear,  open,  easy  path  to  honor  and  useful- 
ness as  General  McClellan.  Never  has  any  one  man 
had  such  influence  and  power  as  he.  Petted,  praised, 
courted — his  very  foibles  were  imitated,  and  he  could 
hardly  sneeze,  certainly  he  could  n't  wash  "  his  fevered 
brow  at  a  roadside  spring,"  to  use  the  words  of  a  corre- 
spondent— without  its  being  duly  reported  all  over  the 
land.  But  he  is  politically  as  well  as  militarily  dead — 
dead  by  his  own  acts.  Traitor  hands  buried  him,  and 
over  his  grave  they  placed  the  wreck  of  his  and  their 
platform  of  principles — a  platform  so  weighty  with  trea- 
son and  oppression,  that  it  will  lie  heavy  on  his  grave 
till  both  he  and  it  are  forgotten  in  the  lapse  of  years. 

UNNECESSARY    SUFFERINGS   OF   THE   WOUNDED — IN- 
EFFICIENCY SOMEWHERE. 

Another  thing  that  tended  to  modify  exuberant 
emotions  was  the  lack  of  prompt  and  efficient  atten- 
tion to  the  wants  of  the  wounded,  thus  greatly  in- 
creasing their  suffering. 

No  army  in  the  world  has  been  so  well  cared  for 


160  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

in  every  respect  as  the  Union  army.  No  nation  lias 
ever  so  freely  and  bountifully  supplied  its  defenders 
with  the  necessaries  and  comforts  of  military  life.  No 
nation  has  done  so  much  for  its  soldiers  when  in 
health,  or  taken  such  tender  care  of  them  when  sick 
or  wounded.  The  Army  of  the  Potomac,  however,  in 
1862,  was  not,  in  any  respect — except  its  heroic 
bravery — what  it  is  in  1865.  There  was  not  a  little 
of  the  elements  of  flippancy,  arrogance,  and  official 
hauteur  in  the  various  departments  of  the  army. 
The  medical  staff  was  by  no  means  free  from  such 
unfavorable  influences.  Young,  soulless,  incompetent 
medical  tyros  had  wormed  themselves  into  the  army, 
and  thus  occupied  positions  in  which  they  might,  with 
comparative  impunity,  play  the  petty  tyrant,  and, 
under  the  specious  plea  of  military  or  medical  rule,  op- 
press those  committed  to  their  care.  Not  soon  will 
some  of  those  flippant  gentry  be  forgotten  by  the  sol- 
diers who  came  in  contact  with  them  during  the  cam- 
paign of  1862.  Incompetent,  careless,  and  haughty, 
they  were  more  intent  on  showing  off  their  brass  but- 
tons and  shoulder-straps,  and  maintaining  professional 
dignity,  than  in  attending  to  the  wants  of  the  suffer- 
ing soldier.  There  were  then,  as  there  are  now,  many 
true,  noble,  skillful  men  in  the  army,  who  toiled  day 
and  night  for  the  benefit  of  the  sick  and  wounded, 
and  who,  uniting  a  pure  patriotism,  profound  medical 
skill,  and  a  tender  sympathy,  labored  industriously 
for  the  good  of  others,  and  thus  made  their  presence, 
on  field  or  in  hospital,  fall  like  sunbeams  around  the 
sad  and  suffering.  But  these  could  not  do  their  own 
work  and  that  of  others  also;  there  must,  therefore, 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          161 

be  some  who  would  be  necessarily  neglected  and  un- 
cared  for. 

One  or  two  incidents  by  way  of  illustration. 

Captain  Duncan  and  myself  went  to  a  large  log 
house  in  search  of  some  of  the  wounded  of  our  regi- 
ment. We  found  it  filled  with  the  wounded  of  differ- 
ent regiments,  but  principally  of  those  belonging  to 
the  regular  army.  Quite  a  number  were  also  in  a 
barn  adjoining.  Two  days  had  elapsed  since  the  bat- 
tle, and  yet  their  wounds  had  never  been  dressed,  no 
surgeon  had  been  to  see  them,  and  there  was  no  one 
to  give  them  a  drink  of  cold  water!  I  will  never,  to 
my  dying  day,  forget  the  piteous  words  which  one 
poor  fellow  spoke  to  us  as  we  turned  away : 

"Are  you  going  away  to  leave  us  here?"  said  he,  in 
tones  that  told  of  his  anguish  and  hopelessness.  "  For 
God's  sake,  don't  leave  us  here  alone,  to  die  like 
dogs!" 

"No,"  I  replied,  "I  will  not  leave  you;  but  I  have 
no  bandages  with  me,  nor  any  thing  else  to  afford  re- 
lief. I'll  go  and  get  assistance  and  supplies,  and  do 
what  I  can." 

I  went  to  our  brigade  surgeon  and  reported  the 
case,  and  asked  for  some  bandages.  Alas!  all  our 
hospital  supplies  were  exhausted;  our  own  surgeons 
had  been  working  night  and  day;  and  what,  therefore, 
could  be  done?  Dr.  Holmes  looked  distressed. 

"It's  too  bad — it's  too  bad!  but  what  can  I  do?" 
said  he.  "We  are  entirely  out  of  bandages,  and  sup- 
plies in  general,  and  it  is  the  same  in  other  divisions, 
for  they  have  sent  to  me  for  supplies  till  I  have  none 
left.  The  surgeons  of  our  own  division  are  worked 
14 


162          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

down;  but  I'll  see  after  those  wounded;  I'll  report 
the  case,  at  least,  to  head-quarters." 

Not  knowing  any  more  necessary  or  important  work 
to  be  done  than  to  take  caro  of  the  suffering,  I  started 
to  Middletown  immediately — nearly  ten  miles  off — 
applied  to  the  Sanitary  Commission  for  supplies,  and 
returned  to  the  field  with  what  my  servant  and  self 
could  carry  on  our  horses. 

Next  day,  and  in  another  part  of  the  field,  I  found 
a  dozen  or  more  of  our  wounded  in  a  barn,  if  pos- 
sible in  a  more  hopeless  and  deplorable  condition. 
Their  wounds  were  in  a  horrible  state.  As  I  washed 
and  dressed  the  worst  of  the  cases,  it  required  the 
calling  forth  of  all  my  powers  of  endurance.  The 
stench  from  the  foul,  festering  wounds  was  sickening 
to  a  degree  that  is  indescribable,  and  the  whole  scene 
was  as  disgusting  to  the  beholder  as  it  was  terrible  to 
the  sufferer.  I  rushed  out  to  breathe  a  purer  at- 
mosphere, only  to  meet  with  festering  limbs  and  black- 
ened corpses,  from  which  emanated  a  deadly  exhala- 
tion. 

To  show  that  there  was  no  lack  on  the  part  of  the 
Government  or  of  the  Sanitary  Commission  in  caring 
for  the  wounded,  it  may  just  be  stated  that  on  a  box 
or  bench  were  packages  of  farina,  essence  of  beef, 
different  kinds  of  cordials,  crackers,  etc.,  and  yet 
those  noble  sufferers  had  had  no  breakfast,  and  it  was 
now  between  two  and  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon ! 
There  was  no  nurse,  no  attendant,  and  it  was  a  matter 
of  doubt  whether  any  thing  was  being  prepared  for 
them.  This  case  was  reported  to  the  proper  author- 
ities, and  the  barn  was  speedily  inquired  into,  and  it 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          163 

is  said  that  language,  more  emphatic,  perhaps,  than 
polite,  was  used  by  the  powers  that  be. 

In  making  these  statements,  I  do  not  wish  to  be 
understood  as  making  even  a  general  complaint 
against  our  army  surgeons  as  a  whole.  By  no 
means.  I  think,  from  what  I  have  seen,  that  these 
were  exceptional  cases.  A  very  large  majority  of 
those  surgeons  with  whom  I  was  acquainted,  and  with 
some  of  whom  I  was  in  close  and  constant  association, 
were  men  of  principle,  honor,  and  humanity.  Nobly 
did  they  work  to  relieve  the  suffering  soldiers,  and  I 
heartily  make  this  record  to  their  honor. 

It  may  be  added,  just  here,  that,  on  the  battlefield 
of  Antietam — as  on  all  battlefields — there  was  much 
suffering  and  privation,  aside  from  sickness  and 
wounds,  that  was  unavoidable.  And  it  may  also  be 
added  that  every  one  who  enters  the  army,  intelli- 
gently and  thoughtfully,  makes  calculations  to  meet 
with  just  such  privations  as  are  inseparable  from  mili- 
tary life,  and  he  goes  forth  bravely  to  endure  them, 
if  needs  be.  But  it  must  be  conceded  that  at  Antie- 
tam, through  the  blunders  of  some,  the  carelessness 
of  others,  and  the  incompetency  of  many  who  were 
invested  with  the  sacred  responsibility  of  seeing  that 
our  brave  men  were  cared  for  when  sick  or  wounded, 
the  sufferings  of  our  soldiers  were  greatly  increased. 
The  great  want  was  a  corps  of  strong,  humane  nurses 
for  field  and  hospital — especially  for  the  field — to 
attend  to  the  wounded  and  dying.  Another  want  was 
a  greater  number  of  skillful  surgeons ;  both  of  which 
necessities  have  been  measurably  removed. 


CHAPTER  XI. 

A    GLE^M    OF    SUNSHINE    ON  A  DARK    SCENE THE    ELEVENTH    HOUR— • 

THE    LOVED   ONE  REMEMBERED  IN  DEATH. 

IN  one  of  the  art  galleries  of  Europe  there  is  a 
most  remarkable  picture.  It  speaks  less  to  the  eye 
than  to  the  heart.  It  seems  to  express  much,  but  it 
suggests  more,  and  is  one  of  those  rare  works  of  a 
refined  and  elevated  genius  that  seldom  dazzle  the 
eye,  but  leave  such  impressions  upon  the  heart  as  ren- 
der them  ever  after  not  so  much  tangible  realities  to 
be  seen  by  the  eye,  as  living  ideas  to  be  recognized 
by  the  mind.  They  are,  so  to  speak,  painted  thoughts. 
They  are  abstract  truths  in  outline — ideas  on  canvas. 

The  picture  referred  to  is  nothing  more  than  a 
landscape — earth  and  sky.  The  background  is  a 
dark,  pine  forest,  with  a  dense  undergrowth  of  briers 
and  alders.  In  the  foreground  are  moss-covered  rocks, 
with  here  and  there  tufts  of  fern  and  wild  flowers.  In 
the  center,  and  nearly  hidden  by  the  interlacings  of 
the  wild  rose  and  common  bramble,  are  two  solitary 
graves,  marked  by  broken,  crumbling  tombstones. 
The  scenery  all  around  is  gloomy,  weird,  arid  wild. 
Dense,  black  clouds  float  in  a  dark  and  troubled  sky, 
while  away  in  the  far  distance  the  tall  pines  are  seen 
bending  before  the  gathering  storm.  But,  out  from 
(164) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          165 

a  rifted  storm-cloud  there  streams  down  one  broad, 
bright  beam  of  sunshine,  which,  falling  upon  the  lonely 
graves  in  the  dark  wildwood,  lights  them  up  with  rays 
of  glory.  The  dim  outlines  of  a  rainbow  are  seen  fit- 
fully glimmering  against  the  dark  shadows  beyond. 
The  lesson  of  the  picture  is,  that  there  is  some  sun- 
shine on  the  darkest  pathway,  and  rays  of  glory  on 
the  most  lonely  graves. 

This  picture  was  realized  in  the  barn  already  spoken 
of,  where  Hooker's  gallant  corps  fought  so  desperately 
on  the  right  wing.  As  already  stated,  a  number  of 
wounded  soldiers  had  been  brought  to  the  barn  in 
question,  and  left  there  without  having  the  attendance 
either  of  surgeon  or  nurse.  Whether  through  gross 
neglect  or  necessity  this  occurred,  it  is  not  necessary 
to  hazard  any  opinion.  But  there  they  were,  a  help- 
less, sad,  suffering  company  of  noble  men.  Being  sup- 
plied with  every  thing  necessary,  I  went  to  work  to 
relieve  them  as  much  as  possible;  and  if  ever  there 
are  times  in  men's  history  when  the  reflexive  influ- 
ence of  making  effort  to  help  the  needy  is  most  salu- 
tary in  all  respects,  then  that  effort  was  not  in  vain. 
One  poor  fellow,  whose  sufferings  were  very  great,  was 
the  first  who  attracted  my  attention.  As  I  washed  off 
the  clotted  blood,  and  cleansed  his  wounds,  and  ar- 
ranged his  lowly  pallet  so  as  to  render  him  a  little 
more  comfortable,  his  eyes  filled  with  tears,  and,  with 
thanks  which  were  totally  unmerited,  he  said  it  was 
the  first  thing  that  had  been  done  for  him  since  the 
surgeon  of  his  own  regiment  had  hastily  dressed  his 
wounds  during  the  heat  of  battle,  and  that  he  had  felt 
as  if  forsaken  both  by  God  and  man. 


166          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

"  Thank  you !  0,  thank  you  for  this  ! "  he  continued 
to  say.  "  I  feel  so  much  easier  already." 

When  I  had  finished,  he  asked  me  earnestly  what  I 
thought  of  his  wounds,  and  whether  they  were  danger- 
ous. When  I  told  him  he  might  possibly  live  a  day 
or  two,  but  that,  humanly  speaking,  his  recovery  was 
impossible,  he  looked  disappointed.  From  a  few  re- 
marks he  made,  I  perceived  that  his  thoughts  were 
away  far  off  to  his  New  England  home,  and  that  he  was 
yearning  once  more  to  see  loved  ones,  and  "  that  dear- 
est spot  on  earth — home,  sweet  home  ! "  Any  one 
could  see  that  a  struggle  was  going  on  in  that  brave 
heart.  The  great  spiritual  victory  was,  at  length,  at- 
tained, and  the  language  of  resignation  burst  from  his 
lips.  I  conversed  with  him  on  the  fatherly  character 
of  God,  and  of  His  deep  and  abiding  sympathy  for 
man.  I  spoke  of  the  peace  which  believers  enjoy 
through  faith  in  Christ  Jesus,  and  encouraged  him  to 
place  himself  fully  and  freely  in  the  hands  of  a  gra- 
cious God.  As  I  turned  to  leave  him,  he  asked  for  a 
drink  of  water,  and  as  I  raised  his  head,  and  placed 
the  cup  to  his  pale  lips,  mortality  !  0,  mortality !  re- 
vealed itself  more  painfully  and  sadly  than  I  care  to 
tell.  Perhaps,  as  I  write  these  lines,  the  redeemed 
spirit,  freed  from  that  torn  and  broken  tabernacle,  is 
drinking  of  the  fountain  of  living  water  in  the  City  of 
God,  and  the  battlefield  and  the  bloody  barn  floor 
have  been  exchanged  for  the  everlasting  rest  and  joy 
and  glory  of  that  heavenly  home. 

"  Will  you  please  attend  to  me  ? "  said  a  young 
man  lying  in  another  part  of  the  barn,  and  who  was, 
if  possible,  in  a  worse  condition  than  the  one  previ- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          167 

ously  mentioned.  I  spare  my  own  feelings,  and  those 
of  my  readers,  by  refraining  to  give  a  minute  descrip- 
tion of  the  sad  state  in  which  I  found  this  suffering 
soldier.  Suffice  to  say,  that  he  was  lying — just  as  he 
had  hastily  heen  laid  -down — on  a  pile  of  wheat  and 
straw.  A  piece  of  shell  had  torn  a  fearful  gash  in  his 
side,  and  driven  a  part  of  his  clothing  into  the  wound, 
which,  not  being  removed,  occasioned  him  great  pain. 
His  blouse  was  hard  and  stiff  with  the  dry,  clotted 
blood,  while  his  face  was  besmeared  with  dust  and 
powder.  Like  the  others  around  him,  he  had  received 
no  attention  since  being  brought  there,  and  had  neither 
supper  the  night  before,  nor  breakfast  that  day.  And 
yet  there  was  an  air  of  peace  and  happiness  around 
him,  that  measurably  relieved  the  sad  picture  from  its 
otherwise  truly  dark  and  hopeless  appearance.  By 
his  side  lay  an  open  pocket  Bible,  which,  to  all  ap- 
pearance, he  had  been  recently  reading. 

"  Is  this  your  Bible  ? "  I  asked,  while  removing  the 
hardened  bandages  from  his  wounds. 

"Yes,  it  is  my  Bible,"  he  replied.  "I've  managed 
to  carry  it  with  me  ever  since  I  left  home." 

"Have  you  found  its  promises  to  be  precious  to 
you  in  this  your  time  of  suffering?" 

"  0,  yes !  very  precious — very  comforting  to  me." 

"  Have  n't  you  been  in  great  pain  ?  I  would  think 
you  couldn't  read  much  while  here  in  this  sad  state." 

"  The  worst  was  at  night,"  said  he,  "  especially  last 
night — it  seemed  so  long  and  so  dark;  but  I  tried  to 
think  over  all  the  comforting  texts  I  had  ever  read, 
for  I  couldn't  sleep.  0,  it  has  been  terrible  here!" 

I  spoke  a  few  encouraging  words  to  him,  and  re- 


168  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OP   ARMY   LIFE. 

peated  some  of  the  Savior's  own  blessed  promises, 
while  bathing  and  bandaging  the  deep  and,  apparently, 
mortal  wounds,  and  then  passed  to  others  needing  at- 
tention. During  that  day,  and  for  several  days  after- 
ward, fearful  scenes  of  human  suffering — glorious 
scenes  of  heroic  devotion — peaceful  scenes  of  Chris- 
tian triumph,  hope,  and  joy,  were  brought  before  me; 
but  that  one  glorious  picture — would  that  I  could  paint 
it! — of  the  young  patriot  soldier,  wounded  and  dying, 
far  from  home,  and  suffering  from  hunger  and  thirst, 
turning  his  dim  eye  to  the  sacred  page  of  the  Divine 
Word — the  gift  of  a  pious  mother — and  drawing  there- 
from consolation  and  hope — 0 !  it  was  the  most  vivid 
and  glorious  of  all!  and  it  will  ever  be  to  me  as  a 
sunny  memory  of  the  battlefield.  Think  of  it !  That 
poor,  torn,  dying  soldier — no  one  to  give  him  a  drink 
of  cold  water  in  the  hour  of  his  deep  distress,  or  wipe 
the  dew-drops  of  agony  from  his  dust-begrimed  brow — 
no  one  to  soothe  his  hard  pillow,  or  speak  a  word  of 
cheer  to  him  in  the  lone  midnight  hour! — and  yet,  in 
his  deepest  anguish  and  loneliness,  he  turns  to  the 
Fountain  of  Life,  and  drinks  of  the  precious,  priceless 
waters  of  salvation!  And,  through  the  long,  weary 
night,  surrounded  with  fellow-sufferers,  in  pain  like 
himself,  he  whiles  away  the  dark  and  weary  hours  in 
thinking  over  the  precious  promises  of  the  loving 
Savior!  And  0,  what  a  testimony  was  this  to  the 
priceless  value  of  God's  Word!  0,  it  is  not  the  dry, 
severe,  didactic  book  that  many  suppose  it  to  be;  but 
it  is  a  book  full  of  warm,  generous  sympathies,  and 
cheering  promises,  and  is  the  unchanging  friend  of 
man  in  every  condition  of  life !  It  comes  to  us  as  the 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  169 

guide  of  our  youth,  our  support  and  counselor  amid 
the  busy  scenes  and  engrossing  cares  of  maturer 
years,  and  our  comforter  and  most  welcome  compan- 
ion when,  with  wearied  steps  and  dim  eyes,  we  near 
that  land  "  where  the  wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and 
the  weary  are  at  rest."  And  what  a  comfort,  too,  is 
such  an  incident  to  praying  parents!  0,  ye  Chris- 
tian mothers,  who  have  given  your  sons  to  the  country, 
and  sent  them  forth  baptized  with  your  tears  and 
consecrated  by  your  prayers,  cease  not  your  supplica- 
tions in  their  behalf,  and  part  not  with  your  hopes 
concerning  them!  The  Angel  of  the  Covenant  will 
have  them  in  his  holy  keeping;  and,  although  your 
loving  hands  may  not  lav«  their  burning  brow,  nor 
moisten  their  parched  lips  in  the  dark  hour  of  their 
anguish,  Jesus  will  give  them  to  drink  of  that  living 
water  of  which,  if  a  man  drink,  he  will  never  thirst. 
When  they  have  fought  their  last  battle,  they  may 
also  sleep  their  last  sleep,  far  from  the  other  graves 
of  your  household,  and  you  may  not  have  the  melan- 
choly satisfaction  of  visiting  the  spot  where  the  be- 
loved dust  reposes;  but  remember  that  the  pure  in 
heart  will  meet  again,  and  the  shining  shores  of  the 
better  land  will  reecho  with  the  shouts  of  joy  as  re- 
deemed friends  meet  each  other  there. 

A  FEW  MINUTES'  WARNING — WAS  IT  HEEDED? 

While  dressing  the  wounds  of  Captain  Weller — a 
brave  and   efficient  officer,  mentioned  in  a  previous 
chapter  as  being  wounded  at  the  stone  bridge — an  in- 
cident occurred,  which,  although  by  no  means  uncom- 
15 


170          LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

mon,  will  help  to  give  an  idea  of  the  circumstances  in 
which  a  minister  in  the  army  has  often  to  try  and 
preach  Christ.  Two  men  staggered  into  the  crowded 
house  with  a  stretcher,  on  which  was  a  wounded  man. 
Laying  him  on  the  floor  gently,  and  adjusting  a  hand- 
ful of  straw  under  his  head,  one  of  them  turned  to  me, 
and  asked  if  I  would  attend  to  his  wounded  comrade 
as  quickly  as  possible.  I  immediately  went  to  him, 
and  found  that  a  musket-ball  had  penetrated  his  stom- 
ach and  bowels.  Indeed,  he  was  in  a  dying  condition. 
He  told  me  that  he  had  been  lying  two  days  and  two 
nights  in  a  cornfield  before  he  was  found;  that  he 
had  suffered  greatly  from  hunger  and  thirst;  that 
his  wound  did  not  pain  him,  and  if  it  was  dressed, 
and  he  had  something  to  eat,  he  would  be  better. 
Taking  his  hand  in  mine,  and  speaking  to  him  as 
soothingly  as  possible,  I  told  him  he  was  very  near 
eternity,  and  that  he  had  but  a  short  time  to  prepare 
to  meet  his  God.  He  would  not  believe  it — insisted 
that  he  felt  better,  and  was  sure  he  would  not  die.  I 
plead  with  him  to  think  of  his  position  as  a  dying 
man,  and  press  upon  his  attention  the  solemnity  of 
death  and  judgment.  But  it  seems  unavailing.  In 
twenty  minutes  he  breathes  his  last !  As  I  look  upon 
his  lifeless  body,  I  think  of  the  long,  lonely  hours  of 
suffering  he  has  passed  in  the  cornfield,  and  whether 
he  tried  to  lift  up  his  heart  to  God,  and  Avhether  he 
had  found  pardon.  And  the  answer  is  only  a  doubt. 
Ah !  how  many  souls,  unwashed  in  the  fountain  of  re- 
deeming mercy — unprepared  to  meet  God — are  being 
ushered  into  eternity!  And  I  turn  away  with  sad- 
dened feelings. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  171 


GOING  HOME. 

In  one  of  the  temporary  hospitals  there  was  a 
wounded  man,  with  whose  last  hours  were  connected 
many  circumstances  of  a  peculiarly  interesting  and 
pathetic  character.  My  attention  was  first  directed  to 
him  by  one  of  the  attendants,  who  informed  me  that 
he  seemed  to  be  dying.  Approaching  where  he  lay,  I 
asked  whether  he  wished  any  thing  done  for  him.  At 
first  he  could  not  answer  me.  It  was  evident  he  was 
near  his  last.  The  perspiration  stood  in  large  drops 
on  his  pale,  massive  forehead,  his  breathing  was  short 
and  difficult,  and  his  suiferings  were  very  great.  At 
last  he  was  able  to  speak,  although  but  in  whispers, 
and  at  intervals. 

"  Chaplain,  I  'm  in  great  pain — 0,  I  'm  in  great 
pain!" 

"  I  see  you  are  in  great  pain,"  I  replied,  "  and  wish 
it  were  in  my  power  to  help  you.  There  is  ONE,  how- 
ever, who  can  always  help  in  the  hour  of  trouble,  and 
who  is  ready  now  to  help  you.  How  do  you  feel?  Do 
you  think  you  will  get  well  ? " 

"Yes,  I  think  I  will." 

"Would  you  be  displeased  if  I  should  tell  you  that 
you  can  live  but  a  short  time  ?  " 

"No,"  said  he,  "I  would  not;  for  if  I  die,  I  feel 
that  I  am  ready.  Jesus  is  my  Savior.  I  would  rather 
have  been  at  home,  however,"  he  added;  "for  I  want 
to  see  mother  before  I  die." 

In  further  conversation  with  him,  I  learned  that  he 
had,  while  a  youth,  sought  an  interest  in  the  Savior, 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  and 


172  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

that  he  was  blessed  with  godly  parents.  Toward  mid- 
night, his  sufferings  increased,  and  he  sent  for  me,  as 
he  said,  to  speak  to  him  again  of  Christ. 

"I  want  you,"  said  he,  "just  to  tell  me  of  Jesus. 
I  can't  speak  much — I'm  so  weak.  I  can  hear — tell 
me,  tell  me  of  Jesus !  " 

In  the  midst  of  low  moanings,  and  sharp,  short 
screams,  I  bent  over  him,  and  repeated  parts  of  the 
fourteenth  chapter  of  John's  Gospel,  and  the  Twenty- 
third  Psalm.  Beside  that  lowly  pallet,  in  the  midst  of 
suffering  and  death,  the  Lord  was  found  to  be  "as  a 
little  sanctuary."  The  gloomy  scene  was  irradiated 
with  the  sunlight  of  Christian  hope  and  joy,  and,  for  the 
time  being,  the  horrid  scenes  of  war  and  tumult  were 
forgotten  amid  the  peaceful  triumphs  of  Christian  faith. 
It  was  noticed  that  he  had  a  hair  bracelet  on  his  left 
wrist,  and  that  he  was  holding  something  in  his  hand, 
attached  to  which  was  a  small  cord,  which  passed  around 
his  neck.  As  he  seemed  to  be  anxious  about  this, 
whatever  it  might  be,  I  asked  him  what  it  was.  With 
great  effort,  he  raised  his  hand  to  his  face,  and  looked 
at  something,  with  a  long,  yearning  look ;  it  was  a 
small  gold  locket.  Closing  it  tightly  in  his  hand,  he 
whispered : 

"  This  bracelet  is  a  lock  of  my  lady-love's  hair." 

"Would  you  want  it  and  the  locket  taken  off  and 
sent  home?" 

"  No,  I  want  to  be  buried  with  them." 

The  last  request  he  made  was,  "I  wish  you  to  see 
that  this  bracelet  is  not  taken  off  my  arm." 

I  watched  by  him  as  he  neared  the  shores  of  eter- 
nity, and  it  seemed  as  if  his  joys  were  momentarily 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE.          173 

increased.  "I'm.  going  home  to  heaven  —  yes,  to 
heaven ! "  were  the  last  words  I  could  hear  distinctly. 
In  a  few  minutes,  he  peacefully  fell  asleep  in  Jesus. 

0,  blessed  religion !  precious  in  youth  and  old  age ; 
precious  in  health  and  in  sickness ;  precious  amid  the 
endearments  of  "home,  sweet  home,"  and  precious 
when  neither  wife  nor  mother  is  near  to  assist  or  com- 
fort the  lone  sufferer !  Precious  in  the  "  house  of  the 
Lord,"  among  "brethren  dearly  beloved  and  longed 
for,"  and  precious  on  the  battlefield,  amid  bloodshed 
and  death !  0,  Savior !  bless  the  reader  of  this,  who- 
ever he  may  be,  and  grant  that  he  may  enjoy  thy 
blessed  presence  here,  and  enter  into  thy  glory  here- 
after. 


CHAPTER  XII. 

DIVINE  SERVICES  ON  THE  FIELD WHAT    DOES   RELIGION  DO  FOR  THE 

SOLDIER    IN  BATTLE? 

WHERE  SHALL  WE  WORSHIP  ? 

"  OUR  fathers  worshiped  in  this  mountain,  and  ye 
say  that  in  Jerusalem  is  the  place  where  men  ought  to 
worship,"  were  the  words  which  the  woman  of  Samaria 
addressed  to  the  blessed  Savior,  as,  wearied  with  his 
journey  northward  to  Galilee,  he  sat  resting  at  the 
well  of  Jacob.  Defective  religion  has  always  more  to 
do  with  the  outward  form  than  the  inner  feeling,  and 
the  place  and  surroundings  of  religious  service  are 
more  anxiously  attended  to  than  the  worship  itself. 
Such  was  the  case  with  the  Samaritan  woman.  Per- 
ceiving, from  the  Stranger's  heart-searching  questions, 
that  he  was  a  divine  teacher,  she  was  more  anxious  to 
be  assured  that  Mount  Gerizim  was  as  good  a  place  as 
Mount  Zion  in  which  to  worship  God,  than  to  have  her 
own  heart  searched,  or  her  sins  reproved  by  Divine 
Truth.  Genuine  religion  is  more  intent  on  having  the 
heart  right,  than  in  having  the  body  in  any  prescribed 
devotional  position.  And  it  can  find  an  altar  or  a  tem- 
ple in  every  valley  and  on  every  hill-side.  "  The  hour 
cometh,  and  now  is, when  the  true  worshipers  shall  wor- 
(174) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          175 

ship  the  Father  in  spirit  and  in  truth ;  for  the  Father 
seeketh  such  to  worship  him." 

Such  was  the  answer  which  Christ  gave  to  the  woman 
of  Samaria;  and  it  not  only  sets  forth  the  spirit  and 
object  of  Divine  worship,  but  it  also  teaches  the  truly 
spiritual  and  simple  character  of  our  holy  religion. 
No  magnificent  cathedral,  with  groined  arches  and 
stained  windows,  is  necessary  to  constitute  a  place  of 
worship ;  neither  are  sacerdotal  vestments  and  floating 
incense  and  responsive  choirs  indispensable  aids  or 
accompaniments  to  the  sublimely  simple  and  spiritual 
services  which  the  infinite  Father  requires  of  his 
children.  Jacob  found  a  Bethel,  the  house  of  God,  in 
the  lonely  wilderness,  as  he  journeyed  toward  Padan 
Aram,  and  he  found  it  again  as  he  wrestled  all  night 
with  the  Angel  of  the  Covenant  at  the  fords  of  Jabbok. 
Elijah,  the  heroic  reformer  of  Israel  in  troublous 
times,  found  a  house  of  prayer  on  the  top  of  Carmel, 
and  a  peculiarly  glorious  sanctuary  on  the  wild  and 
rocky  sides  of  Horeb,  while  "the  still  small  voice" 
soothed  his  chafed  and  wearied  spirit,  and  revived  his 
failing  courage.  And  on  the  Christian  Sabbath,  in 
later  times,  "  that  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved  "  wor- 
shiped with  angels  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,  even  though  banished  from  "brethren  dearly 
beloved  and  longed  for;"  and,  while  the  waves  of  old 
ocean  were  dashing  around  his  rocky  prison,  he  was 
permitted  to  look  down  the  long  vista  of  futurity  and 
see  the  consummation  of  all  things.  Paul  and  Silas 
had  a  more  glorious  meeting  in  the  dark  Ephesian 
dungeon,  than  was  ever  held  amid  the  gaudy  tinselry 
and  pretentious  devotions  of  the  grandest  cathedral 


176  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   AEMT   LIFE. 

ever  built ;  and  in  the  gloomy  days  of  persecution, 
many  of  those  who 

"  Lived  unknown 

'Till  persecution  dragged  them  into  fame, 
And  chased  them  up  to  Heaven — " 

found  a  sanctuary  in  many  a  lonely  glen  and  gloomy 
cave,  while  their  hearts  were  filled  with  rejoicing  and 
praise  because  of  the  presence  of  the  Lord. 

And  so  has  it  been  in  the  army.  The  question  haa 
been  oftentimes,  not  Where  shall  we  worship,  but  When 
shall  we  worship  ?  It  is  one  great  blessing  connected 
with  our  army,  that,  during  the  war,  wherever  there  has 
been  a  genuine  desire  to  engage  in  religious  services, 
the  opportunity  to  do  so  has  usually  been  afforded; 
and  not  only  so,  but  services  in  carnp  are  often  of  a 
peculiarly  impressive  and  interesting  character — not 
only  from  the  fact  that  they  are  associated  with  many 
things  of  an  exciting  and  novel  nature,  but,  divested 
of  all  stiff,  starched  formality,  they  are  frequently 
seasons  of  spontaneous  outbursts  of  genuine  religious 
emotions.  The  Sabbath  after  the  battle  of  Antietam 
was  a  day  of  rest  for  both  the  body  and  the  soul.  The 
circumstances  in  which  the  army  had  been  placed  dur- 
ing the  past  week,  as  well  as  the  events  which  had 
transpired,  were  all  conducive  to  make  this  day  sacred 
and  impressive.  The  troops  had  been  in  several  heavy 
skirmishes,  and  in  at  least  two,  if  not  three,  pitched 
battles  during  the  previous  week  or  ten  days.  Many  a 
soldier  had  been  called  to  his  final  account  during  that 
time,  and  very  hard  must  that  heart  have  been  that  felt 
no  emotion  of  gratitude  for  deliverance  in  the  hour  of 
peril. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE.          177 

Early  in  the  day,  Colonel  Andrews,  of  the  Thirty- 
sixth  Ohio,  came  to  the  camp  of  the  Eleventh,  and 
suggested  that  the  two  regiments  unite  in  religious 
services,  seeing  there  was  but  one  chaplain  in  the  en- 
tire brigade.  His  proposition  was  gladly  accepted,  so 
that  the  two  regiments,  and,  indeed,  portions  of  the 
whole  brigade,  united  in  the  sacred  services.  The 
"Church-call"  was  made  at  ten  o'clock,  repeated 
again  in  fifteen  minutes,  and  we  met  on  the  two  slopes 
overlooking  a  small  ravine  close  by  the  Antietam 
Creek.  But  four  days  ago  tne  fierce  storm  of  battle 
had  raged  furiously  on  this  very  portion  of  the  field, 
and  death  and  destruction  had  held  high  carnival  here ; 
"but  now  the  song  of  praise  was  heard  instead  of  the 
rush  and  roar  of  battle,  and  a  Sabbath's  calm  and 
peace  followed  the  fierce  tempest  of  war.  And,  judg- 
ing from  the  interest  manifested,  and  the  order  and 
decorum  everywhere  visible,  the  services  were  appre- 
ciated by  all.  Indeed,  throughout  the  entire  camp  the 
quietude  and  good  order  were  very  marked.  It  might 
be  added  here,  that,  while  encamped  on  the  Antietam, 
and  latterly  on  the  Potomac,  there  seemed  to  be  a  very 
general  religious  interest  in  the  army.  On  every  Sab- 
bath, and  two  or  three  times  during  the  week,  there 
were  religious  services  held  in  the  Kanawha  division, 
and  the  attendance  at  every  meeting  was  quite  large. 

THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF   CALMNESS  IN  THE   HOUR  OF 
BATTLE. 

One  evening,  shortly  after  the  Antietam  battle,  a 
little  informal  meeting  was  held  in  the  chaplain's  tent, 


178          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE 

•when  the  question  of  calmness  and  presence  of  mind 
during  battle  was  incidentally  introduced.  Nearly  all 
present  made  reference  to  their  experiences  during  the 
battles  of  the  previous  week.  One  spoke  as  follows: 
"Immediately  before  going  into  action,  I  felt  excited 
and  fearful.  I  could  not  get  away  to  any  secret  place 
to  pray  or  meditate,  but,  as  I  stood  in  ranks,  I  lifted 
up  my  heart  in  prayer  to  God,  and  it  seejned  as  if  I 
never  enjoyed  such  a  clear  and  refreshing  sense  of  my 
Savior's  presence.  I  committed  my  all  to  him,  and 
asked  that,  whether  I  lived  or  died,  I  might  be  his 
true  follower.  I  felt  to  consecrate  myself  again  to  his 
service,  and,  in  so  doing,  I  felt  an  indescribable  peace 
and  satisfaction  fill  my  heart.  During  the  few  min- 
utes thus  engaged,"  he  continued,  "I  enjoyed  more 
happiness,  and  a  clearer  conviction  of  my  acceptance 
with  God,  than  I  ever  did  before.  My  fear  and  trem- 
bling disappeared,  and  I  felt  calm  throughout  the  entire 
day." 

It  might  just  be  added  here,  that  this  Christian 
brother  was  not  only  calm  and  peaceful,  but  was  truly 
brave  in  the  hour  of  peril.  At  one  time,  when  there 
was  not  a  commissioned  officer  to  take  command  of 
the  company,  and  that,  too,  at  a  time  when  the  battle 
was  hottest  and  the  carnage  most  fearful,  he  took  com- 
mand of  his  comrades,  rallied  them  for  another  charge, 
and  led  them  onward,  till  relieved  by  a  superior  officer. 

It  is  said — with  how  much  truth  there  is  not  the 
means  of  knowing — that,  during  the  Crimean  war, 
strong  suggestions,  amounting  almost  to  positive  or- 
ders, were  made  by  general  officers  in  the  English 
army,  that  the  chaplains,  when  conducting  religious 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE.          179 

services,  should,  as  much  as  possible,  refrain  from  in- 
troducing the  subject  of  Death,  as  such  a  subject 
might  have  the  tendency  to  induce  a  fearful,  despond- 
ent, and  even  cowardly  spirit !  Blind  leaders !  Their 
suggestions  were  as  irreligious  as  they  were  unphilo- 
sophical.  No  man  can  be  as  brave  without  the  con- 
sciousness of  God's  favor  as  he  would  be  with  it.  Who 
can  afford  to  be  so  brave  as  he  who  hath  placed  his  all 
in  the  hands  of  God,  and  feels  prepared  either  to  live 
or  die?  He  who  has  made  his  peace  with  God  can 
afford  to  dare  and  do  noble  deeds  of  heroism,  for  "he 
endures  as  seeing  Him  who  is  invisible."  And  the 
bravest  unconverted  man  that  ever  lived  could  have 
been  braver  still  if  he  had  possessed  the  blessed  con- 
sciousness that,  "whether  he  lived  or  died,  he  was  the 
Lord's."  Nothing  strengthens  a  man  in  the  hour  of 
deadly  peril,  and  nerves  both  heart  and  hand,  like  a 
firm  faith  in  God.  In  every  walk  of  life  is  this  true. 
The  wife  and  mother,  in  the  privacy  of  the  domestic 
circle,  engaged  in  her  holy  ministry  of  love,  is  all  the 
more  happy  in  her  own  soul,  and  all  the  more  success- 
ful in  her  blessed  work,  if  she  have  the  consciousness 
of  the  favor  and  presence  of  her  God.  The  man  of 
business,  who,  necessarily,  has  to  come  in  contact  with 
the  sharp  angles  and  the  unpleasant  phases  of  human 
nature,  can  have  a  clearer  intellect  and  a  stronger 

7  O 

heart,  if  he  has  consecrated  himself  and  his  business 
to  the  glory  of  God.  The  general  who  commands  the 
armies  of  a  nation,  and  the  private  in  the  ranks,  can 
be  all  the  braver  in  the  hour  of  peril  if  they  have  ex- 
perienced the  love  of  God  shed  abroad  in  their  hearts 
by  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  most  cowardly  man  I  ever 


180 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 


saw,  while  connected  with  the  army,  was  a  great,  ro- 
bust, two-fisted  fellow,  who,  from  his  physical  propor- 
tions, ought  to  have  been  a  Hercules  for  strength  and 
a  Hannibal  for  bravery.  On  a  certain  battlefield, 
where  his  pluck  was  tested,  I  had  serious  doubts 
whether  he  had  nerve  enough  to  pull  trigger  even 
once.  He  certainly  had  not  enough  life  left  in  his 
one  hundred  and  eighty  pounds  of  physical  substance 
to  gasp  out  an  incoherent  assertion  that  he  was  too 
sick  to  stop  and  help  me  lift  a  comrade  whose  leg  had 
been  shattered  by  a  cannon-ball!  If  he  didn't  go  at 
a  two-forty  pace  to  the  rear,  it  was  n't  because  he 
did  n't  try !  He  neither  feared  God  nor  regarded 
man — except  just  at  that  time,  perhaps ! 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

MOVING   WEST — A    TEERIBLE   MARCH — SUFFERING    OF    THE   TROOPS — 
USE   OF    ARDENT    SPIRITS    IN    THE  ARMY. 

AFTER  the  withdrawal  of  the  larger  portion  of  the 
troops  from  the  Kanawha  Valley  to  reinforce  McClel- 
lan's  army,  the  rebels  sent  large  forces  into  the  valley, 
which  drove  the  small  body  of  Union  troops  there  to 
near  the  Ohio  River,  and  destroyed  large  quantities 
of  Government  property  at  Gauley  Bridge.  They  had, 
also,  been  running  the  salt-works,  near  Charleston,  for 
some  time,  and  otherwise  securing  needed  supplies  for 
their  larger  armies,  which  they  transported  by  way  of 
Fayetteville  to  the  Virginia  and  Tennessee  Railroad. 
General  Cox  had  been  ordered  back  to  the  Kanawha, 
or  rather  to  the  Ohio,  to  take  command  of  a  new  de- 
partment, which  embraced  Western  Virginia.  At  his 
own  urgent  request,  he  was  to  have  his  old  and  well- 
tried  Ohio  veterans  with  him. 

The  division  under  command  of  General  Crook 
broke  camp,  on  the  Potomac,  near  Sharpsburg,  about 
nine  o'clock,  and,  passing  through  Sharpsburg,  took  up 
the  line  of  march  toward  Hagerstown.  The  day  was 
excessively  hot — unusually  so,  considering  the  lateness 
of  the  season.  The  little  air  that  stirred  seemed  to 

(181) 


182          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

come  from  the  mouth  of  a  furnace,  while  the  hard 
limestone  turnpike  was  covered  with  hot  dust,  which, 
being  kept  in  constant  motion  by  thousands  of  feet, 
and  by  the  artillery  and  wagon-trains,  induced  a  burn- 
ing thirst,  which  water,  seemingly,  could  not  quench. 
There  had  been  considerable  sickness  in  the  army 
while  camped  on  the  Antietam  and  Potomac,  conse- 
quently the  men  were  not  in  the  best  condition  for  a 
fatiguing  march.  They  were  all  suffering,  more  or 
less,  from  the  noxious  exhalations  of  the  contiguous 
battlefield,  not  to  speak  of  scarcely  less  deleterious 
agencies  caused  by  insufficiently  policed  camps.  Tak- 
ing the  whole  circumstances  into  consideration,  it  was 
the  most  fearful  march  that  any  of  the  regiments  com- 
posing the  division  ever  made — and  they  all  knew, 
from  experience,  what  forced  marches  were.  The 
burning  sun,  the  hot,  stifling  dust,  the  scarcity  of 
water,  the  defective  arrangements  for  the  relief  of  the 
sick,  the  wretched  order  of  march  for  the  ambulances, 
the  debilitated  condition  of  many  of  the  men,  to  all  of 
which  was  added  an  unnecessarily  rapid  rate  of  march, 
with  only  brief  halts,  and  those  at  long  intervals, 
made  this  march  from  the  mouth  of  the  Antietam  to 
Hagerstown  one  of  intense  suffering. 

If  it  had  been  the  design  to  save  Hagerstown 
from  imminent  peril  at  the  hands  of  rebels,  it  would 
have  been  scarcely  possible  to  have  made  much  more 
of  a  forced  march.  By  noon,  there  were  hundreds 
out  of  ranks.  In  fence-corners,  under  trees,  on  logs 
or  stones,  all  along  the  roadside,  soldiers  were  lying 
utterly  exhausted,  and  so  completely  broken  down  that 
many  of  them  seemed  careless  either  about  life  or 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  183 

death !  And  these  were  no  stragglers  or  shirks — as 
almost  every  regiment  has,  more  or  less — but  they 
were  men  who  would  scorn  to  fall  out  of  ranks — men 
who  never  before  sank  down  on  the  march,  and  never 
asked  to  be  excused  from  duty  or  to  be  assisted  in 
any  way.  Company  officers,  who  had  neither  gun, 
cartridge-box,  nor  knapsack  to  carry,  only  as  they 
might  manfully  help  some  exhausted  private,  even 
they,  many  of  them,  had  to  succumb  to  the  terrible 
ordeal,  and  sink  down,  weak  and  fainting,  by  the  way- 
side. Scarcely  one-half  of  the  distance  had  been  trav- 
ersed, when  two  men  fell  down,  never  to  rise  again. 
One  died  instantly;  the  other  in  a  few  hours.  Yet, 
on  and  on  pressed  the  dispirited,  exhausted  column, 
through  the  blinding,  stifling  dust,  that  burned  and 
blistered  the  feet  and  filled  the  eyes  and  throat,  pro- 
ducing a  painful,  burning  thirst. 

It  has  been  said  that,  on  entering  the  army,  chap- 
lains have  generally  lost  what  little  religion  they  ever 
had.  The  author  frankly  acknowledges  that  if  all 
anger  is  sin,  then  he  sinned  woefully  that  day,  for  he 
was  both  sorrowful  and  angry — yes,  may  as  well  con- 
fess it — right  down  angry  !  Good,  efficient,  energetic 
Dr.  Gabriel  had  gone  home,  on  account  of  his  own 
failing  health.  Dr.  Gill — a  soldier,  every  inch  of  him, 
and  good  as  he  was  brave — had  been  transferred  to  an- 
other regiment,  and  their  places  had  been  supplied 
with — with — the  boys  said,  "Checking  Powders" — 
which  means,  being  interpreted,  inefficiency  and  heart- 
less indifference!  Noble  men,  who,  in  all  that  per- 
tains *to  true  manhood,  as  well  as  in  talents  and  ac- 
complishments, were  infinitely  superior  to  some  of 


184          LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

those  who  were  paid  to  care  for  them,  were  rudely 
and  shamelessly  insulted  and  neglected  on  that  terri- 
ble day,  because  they  sank  down  utterly  exhausted. 
They  asked  for  help,  and  received,  instead,  a  bitter 
taunt,  that  burned  into  their  very  soul.  There  are 
times  when  a  man  may  have  patience  under  wrong 
and  insult ;  but,  assuredly,  it  is  not  always  when  his 
back  is  to  the  wall,  and  when  his  very  helplessness 
should  secure  to  him  better  treatment  at  the  hands  of 
his  fellows.  It  is  not,  therefore,  a  very  marked  indica- 
tion of  exalted  piety  to  stand  quietly  by  and  see  the 
good  and  brave  wronged  because  they  are  incapable 
of  helping  themselves.  The  man  would  not  only  be 
less  a  man,  but  less  a  Christian,  could  he  have  seen 
some  of  the  scenes  of  that  march,  and  had  no  throb- 
bing heart  and  no  flashing  eye. 

There  was  one  genuine  outburst  of  good,  healthy 
indignation.  With  the  exception  of  some  decidedly 
bad  grammar,  it  was  both  refreshing  and  edifying.  A 
soldier  was  lying  in  a  fence-corner  exhausted — thought 
to  be  dying. 

"Shorty"— beg  pardon,  Mr.  Shaw — "Shorty,"  a 
bristling,  bustling,  humane-hearted  but  rough  old  sea- 
dog,  was  there,  too,  blazing  with  wrath,  and  he  was 
putting  in  all  the  exclamation  points  and  all  the 
three-cornered  adjectives  he  could  think  of,  in  spite 
of  staff-buttons  and  shoulder-straps,  that  speedily 
knocked  an  M.  D.  beside  him  into  a  cocked  hat! 

But,  finally,  that  march  came  to  an  end.  About 
five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  the  column  filed  off  to 
the  right  into  some  gently-sloping  fields,  near  Hagers- 
town,  where  arms  were  stacked  and  camp-fires  were 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  185 

soon  blazing.  It  is  said — whether  as  a  veritable  fact, 
or  as  a  bit  of  biting  sarcasm,  can  not  now  be  decided — 
that,  on  reaching  camp,  General  Scammon,  who  had 
been  in  the  advance,  inquired  of  the  cavalry,  with 
evident  solicitude,  how  their  horses  had  stood  the 
march! 

The  General  had  better  make  special  arrangements, 
in  his  last  will  and  testament,  for  masses  to  be  said 
for  his  soul  perpetually,  for  assuredly  he  will  never 
get  out  of  purgatory,  if  soldiers'  prayers  avail  any 
thing. 

Next  morning  reveille'  beat  at  an  early  hour,  and, 
shortly  after  dawn,  the  column  was  again  on  the  march. 
Lessons  had  been  gained  by  the  experience  of  the 
previous  day.  General  Crook  was  in  the  advance, 
and  the  march  was  conducted  with  great  care  and 
regularity.  Early  in  the  evening,  the  division  en- 
camped in  or  near  a  strip  of  woods  on  the  National 
Road,  and  about  three  miles  west  of  Clear  Springs. 
The  sick — and  there  were  many  of  them — were  well 
cared  for  by  the  loyal  citizens  of  that  town  and  vicin- 
ity, a  number  of  whom  came  to  where  the  ambulances 
with  the  sick  were  parked,  bringing  with  them  many 
comforts  and  delicacies. 

Next  morning,  the  10th  of  October,  the  column  was 
in  motion  by  three  o'clock.  At  about  half-past  ten, 
shortly  after  passing  the  picket-post  of  a  Pennsyl- 
vania regiment  guarding  one  of  the  fords  of  the 
Potomac,  the  column  was  suddenly  halted,  and  word 
passed  from  one  to  another  that  the  rebels  were  in 
our  rear,  had  cut  our  wagon-train  in  two,  capturing 
the  greater  part  of  it,  and  were  working  mischief 
16 


186          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

generally.  The  cavalry  went  thundering  back,  fol- 
lowed by  one  or  two  pieces  of  artillery.  The 
Twenty-eighth  followed  on  the  double-quick.  Half 
an  hour  had  scarcely  elapsed  till  the  entire  supply- 
train  was  safely  within  reach,  and  sent  to  the  front, 
instead  of  being  kept  in  the  rear.  The  rebels  had  no 
intention  of  making  any  special  demonstration  just 
then  or  there,  designing  to  go  further,  and  meet  with 
as  little  resistance  as  possible.  The  rebel  column  was 
commanded  by  Stuart,  who  made  his  somewhat  noted 
raid  clear  round  the  Army  of  the  Potomac.  The 
division  encamped  that  night  on  the  south  side  of  the 
Potomac  River,  opposite  Hancock,  the  intention  being 
to  transport  the  troops  from  that  point  to  Clarksburg 
by  the  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad.  Here  the  troops 
remained  until  the  evening  of  Monday,  the  13th,  when 
the  entire  division  left  for^Clarksburg,  which  point  was 
reached  on  the  morning  of  the  16th. 

The  destination  of  part  of  the  division  was  the 
Kanawha  Valley,  the  design  being  to  strike  a  point  at 
or  near  Gauley  Bridge,  so  as  to  cooperate  with  another 
force  moving  up  from  the  Ohio,  and  intercept  the 
rebels  in  their  retreat  either  up  the  Gauley  toward 
Greenbrier,  or  by  New  River  toward  Raleigh  and 
Princeton.  Whether  some  grand  strategic  combi- 
nation was  going  on  elsewhere,  or  whether  the  mili- 
tary authorities,  McClellan  to-wit,  thought  the  rebel 
force  in  the  Kanawha  too  insignificant  for  any  special 
effort  to  be  made  for  its  capture  or  destruction,  it 
would  not  be  easy  to  say.  One  thing,  however,  is  cer- 
tain, that  the  intercepting  column  was  detained  so  long 
at  Hancock  and  elsewhere,  that  the  rebels  were  duly 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY  LIFE.          187 

notified  of  the  trap  laid,  and,  of  course,  leisurely  with- 
drew from  the  valley,  taking  their  plunder  with  them. 
While  lying  at  Clarksburg,  two  new  companies — 
E  and  I — arrived,  under  the  command  of  Captains 
Brown  and  Staley,  respectively.  It  was  at  this  point, 
also,  that  Colonel  P.  P.  Lane,  promoted  from  Captain 
of  Company  K,  assumed  command  of  the  regiment, 
which,  since  the  death  of  the  lamented  Coleman,  had 
been  under  the  command  of  Major  Jackson.  At  this 
time,  also,  Major  Jackson  resigned,  and  bade  farewell 
to  the  regiment  and  to  the  army.  By  a  kindly  dis- 
position and  gentlemanly  deportment,  as  well  as  his 
tried  bravery,  he  had  gained  for  himself  very  general 
respect  and  good- will. 

WANT  OP  SUPPLIES — BLAME  SOMEWHERE. 

It  is  by  no  means  traveling  out  of  the  way,  nor  is  it 
with  the  design  of  finding  fault  with  any  one  in  par- 
ticular, when  reference  is  made,  just  at  this  point,  to 
the  condition  of  the  troops  sent  back  into  Western 
Virginia,  and,  indeed,  in  the  Eastern  army  generally, 
after  the  campaign  on  the  Potomac  in  the  summer 
and  autumn  of  1862.  Who  was  to  blame  it  would  be 
assuming  too  much  to  say.  That  some  one  was  at 
fault  somewhere  could  hardly  be  denied.  Never  since 
that  time  has  there  been  such  wretched  management  in 
the  Commissary  and  Quarter-master's  departments  as 
then  existed.  Had  there  been  a  well-planned  and 
settled  purpose  on  the  part  of  some  high  military  of- 
ficials to  produce  discontent  and  discouragement  in 
the  army,  and  cause  revulsion  of  feeling  toward  the 


188  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

Government,  scarcely  more  could  have  been  done  to 
accomplish  such  results.  As  if  purely  intentional — 
for  it  was  not  necessary  in  any  sense — the  troops  had 
not  been  supplied  with  clothing.  Many  of  the  men  were 
without  blouses;  large  numbers  without  shoes,  socks, 
or  caps,  while  shirts  and  drawers  were  almost  an  ex- 
ception. This  lack  of  clothing  was  rendered  all  the 
more  disheartening  and  exasperating  from  the  want  of 
woolen  and  rubber  blankets,  and  the  entire  absence  of 
tents,  save  those  which  individual  ingenuity  or  good 
fortune  supplied.  To  all  of  this,  it  may  be  added  that 
we  were  now  amid  the  bleak,  dreary  mountains  of 
Western  Virginia,  with  the  cold  winds  and  rains  of 
November  beating  upon  us.  Efforts  were  made  to 
attach  blame  upon  officials  at  Washington,  while  some 
army  correspondents,  seizing  the  clue  given  by  others, 
wrote  flaming  philippics  against  the  Government.  For, 
neglecting  to  care  for  the  heroes  of  the  nation,  to  de- 
fend himself  from  the  severe  criticisms  of  every  loyal 
journal  in  the  land,  General  McClellan  had  officially 
to  complain  of  the  want  of  supplies.  But  General 
Meigs  set  this  at  rest  when  he  telegraphed  to  Mc- 
Clellan, "The  railroads  are  now  embarrassed  to  sup- 
ply you,  and  supplies  here  wait  for  the  return  of 
cars  detained  while  loaded  near  your  position." 

Post  quarter-masters,  who  had  under  their  control 
immense  quantities  of  supplies,  could  not  issue  to 
brigade  or  regimental  quarter-masters,  because  they 
had  no  orders  so  to  do.  And  thus,  while  stacks  of 
clothing  and  thousands  of  tents  were  within  easy  reach, 
the  men,  who  had  endured  the  perils  and  privations  of  a 
heavy  campaign,  were  shivering  around  the  camp-fires 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          189 

by  night,  and  during  the  day  felt  that  their  manhood 
was  insulted  and  humiliated  by  insufficient  clothing. 
If  curses  were  not  loud,  they  were  deep  enough  and 
bitter  enough,  truly. 

It  was  under  such  circumstances  that,  in  November, 
the  Kanawha  division  took  up  its  line  of  march  for 
points  on  the  Gauley  and  Kanawha  Rivers,  in  West- 
ern Virginia.  Already  the  bleak  hills  of  that  wild 
country  were  swept  by  the  cold  autumn  winds  and 
rains.  The  various  regiments  had  traversed  but  half 
the  distance,  when  a  fierce  storm  of  sleet  swept  down 
upon  them,  already  wet  and  shivering  with  the  cold 
rains  that  had  prevailed  for  several  days.  One  night, 
while  the  sleet  and  rain  was  driving  in  fitful  gusts,  the 
men  shivering  in  the  cold,  the  wood  too  wet  to  make 
warm  camp-fires,  no  shelter  to  be  found  but  under 
trees,  and  scarcely  any  prospect  for  getting  hot  coffee, 
as  the  fires  would  not  burn,  fears  were  entertained 
that  some  of  the  men  would  perish.  Orders  were  ac- 
cordingly issued,  at  the  instance  of  the  medical  di- 
rector, for  a  small  quantity  of  whisky  to  be  given  to 
each  man. 

I  make  this  statement  here  and  now,  because  friends 
at  home  have  frequently  asked  whether  ardent  spirits 
were  not  issued  to  the  troops,  especially  when  going 
into  battle — a  thing  I  never  knew  or  heard  of  being 
done. 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

EXPEDITION  TO  COLD    KNOB — REBELS   CAUGHT  NAPPING — HEROIC   EN- 
DURANCE   OF    THE    UNION    SOLDIERS. 

SIMPLY  as  a  record  of  heroic  endurance  and  bravery, 
as  well  as  to  show  what  sacrifices  the  soldier  makes  for 
his  country,  the  following  narrative  is  here  given. 

Scarcely  had  the  Kanawha  troops  been  stationed  at 
the  various  points  thought  necessary,  when  orders 
came  to  the  Eleventh,  at  Summerville,  for  an  expedi- 
tion into  Greenbrier  County. 

A  rebel  cavalry,  force  was  reported  as  stationed 
near  Cold  Knob,  on  the  turnpike  north  of  Lewisburg, 
and  the  design  of  the  expedition  was  to  capture  or 
break  up.  that  force.  The  Eleventh  was  to  support 
the  Second  Virginia  Cavalry,  which  was  to  move  from 
Camp  Piatt  by  a  different  road — a  junction  of  the 
forces  being  to  take  place  at  a  designated  point.  The 
cavalry  force  was  five  hundred  strong,  and  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  Paxton. 

The  Eleventh  left  Summerville  on  the  24th  of  No- 
vember, moving  south  toward  Lewisburg.  On  reach- 
ing the  Gauley  River,  it  seemed  as  if  an  effectual  bar- 
rier was  placed  right  in  the  teeth  of  the  expedition; 
for  the  clear,  cold  waters  of  that  mountain-fed  river 
were  dashing  over  their  rocky  channel,  swollen  by 
(190) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE.          191 

the  late  rains.  Colonel  Lane  asked  no  man  to  do  what 
he  thought  dangerous  to  attempt  himself,  and  he  was 
the  first  to  test  both  the  depth  of  the  river  and  the 
strength  of  the  current,  and  find  the  safest  fording 
place.  In  thus  plunging  into  the  cold,  swollen  stream, 
however,  in  his  effort  to  secure,  by  his  own  personal 
examination,  the  best  and  safest  crossing  place,  he 
came  very  near  losing  his  life.  The  incident  was  sig- 
nificant, and  had  a  good  effect  upon  all ;  for  it  exem- 
plified, by  an  apparently  trifling  circumstance,  the  in- 
terest taken  in  their  welfare  by  their  lately-appointed 
commander.  After  some  little  delay,  the  regiment 
crossed  the  river  safely,  and,  leaving  the  road  to  the 
right,  took  a  mountain  path  known  only  to  the  hunters 
of  that  wild  and  desolate  region.  Captain  Ramsey, 
an  old  hunter,  and  familiar  with  every  road  and  path, 
acted  as  guide. 

Before  noon,  a  cold  rain  began  to  fall,  which,  toward 
evening,  turned  into  a  driving  storm  of  sleet  and  snow, 
which  continued,  without  cessation,  for  thirty-six  hours. 
The  regiment  marched  seventeen  miles  the  first  day, 
notwithstanding  the  rough,  hilly,  broken  paths  and  the 
inclement  weather.  The  men  were  in  light  marching 
order — very  few  were  supplied  with  overcoats,  each 
man  had  but  one  blanket,  and  there  were  no  tents.  It 
was  under  such  circumstances  that,  after  a  toilsome 
march,  the  men,  wet  and  shivering  with  cold,  prepared 
to  bivouac  on  the  mountains.  The  second  day's  march 
was  through  snow  from  six  to  twelve  inches  deep; 
and  the  snow  still  continuing  to  fall  and  partially  melt, 
rendered  the  mountain  path — at  the  best,  rough  and 
rugged — one  of  the  worst  imaginable.  At  times  over 


192          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

rough  bowlders,  then  plunging  through  slush,  anon 
winding  round  fallen  timber  and  through  brush,  with 
the  blinding  snow-storm  beating  in  their  faces,  on- 
ward the  column  pressed.  Several  miles  had  to  be 
traversed  in  this  manner  after  darkness  had  set  in.  It 
was  also  necessary  to  march  in  single  file,  and  what 
with  the  dense  forest  and  the  blinding,  driving  snow,  it 
was  so  dark  that  it  was  impossible  to  see  further  than 
a  few  feet.  Under  these  circumstances,  orders  were 
given  for  each  man  to  place  his  hand  on  his  file- 
leader,  so  as  to  keep  the  column  from  being  broken. 
Thus,  in  pitchy  darkness,  through  a  dense  forest  on 
a  wild  mountain  pass,  and  the  sleet  and  snow  driving 
and  eddying  above  and  around  them,  the  men  wearily, 
but  uncomplainingly,  pressed  forward.  With  all  the 
care  and  precaution  used  to  keep  the  file  from  being 
broken,  and  to  prevent  accidents  during  the  pitchy 
darkness  that  settled  down,  an  accident  did  occur. 
One  of  the  men  happened  to  make  a  misstep,  and  fell 
over  a  precipice.  His  comrades  stopped  to  assist  him 
out  of  his  perilous  position.  This  being  unknown  at 
the  head  of  the  column,  the  chain — so  to  speak — was 
broken,  the  regiment  cut  in  two,  and  the  rear  left 
without  a  guide.  Colonel  Lane,  who  was  at  the  head 
of  the  column,  knew  nothing  of  what  had  occurred 
until  his  attention  was  arrested  by  a  loud  halloo  from 
the  rear,  repeated  at  short  intervals,  indicating  some 
one  in  distress.  He  immediately  halted  the  column, 
sent  the  guide  to  the  rear  to  learn  the  difficulty,  as  he 
was  the  only  one  who  could  find  the  way  back.  He 
found  the  lost  party,  made  the  connection  of  the  line 
again,  and  the  column  moved  forward.  The  regiment 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          193 

was  ordered  to  make  a  certain  point  by  the  second 
day,  so  as  to  connect  with  the  cavalry  force,  which 
was  moving  by  another  and  more  circuitous  route — 
the  line  pursued  by  the  infantry  not  being  practicable 
for  cavalry.  The  point  indicated  was  reached  at 
about  nine  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  second  day. 
By  this  time  the  cold  had  increased  greatly,  and  the 
driving  sleet  and  snow  had  given  place  to  a  severe 
frost.  The  men  were  wet  to  the  skin,  and,  weary 
with  the  day's  fatiguing  march,  they  stood  shivering 
in  the  piercing  blast  that  swept  down  the  mountain 
gorges.  It  was  desirable  to  keep  the  movements  con- 
cealed from  the  enemy;  hence  large  fires  must  be 
avoided,  as  they  would  necessarily  attract  the  notice 
of  pickets,  and,  no  doubt,  reveal  the  whole  plan. 
And,  even  had  it  been  desirable  to  make  fires,  there 
was  nothing  to  be  had  but  green  wood,  and  there  were 
no  axes,  even,  to  cut  with,  except  the  hatchets  which 
the  men  carried  in  their  belts.  It  was  so  dark,  also, 
that  the  men  had  to  go  by  the  sense  of  feeling  rather 
than  by  sight.  Small  fires  were  finally  kindled,  how- 
ever, and  the  men,  scooping  away  the  snow,  wrapped 
their  blankets  around  them — wet  as  they  were — and 
laid  down  to  sleep.  Not  all!  Ah,  no!  All  can  not 
sleep.  The  guards — those  never-failing  attendants 
of  an  army — must  be  posted,  whatever  may  be  the 
circumstances,  and  faithful  watch  be  kept  while  com- 
rades are  sunk  in  repose.  No  matter  how  long  and 
weary  the  march  may  have  been,  nor  how  keenly  the 
sleet-laden  blast  may  have  driven  into  his  face,  nor 
how  cold  and  hungry  he  may  be,  the  sentinel  must 
remain  at  his  post,  and  peer  watchfully  and  anxiously 
17 


194  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE. 

into  the  dim  and  dark  distance,  while  with  a  firm 
grasp  of  his  musket,  loaded  and  capped,  he  faithfully 
keeps  watch  while  his  wearied  comrades  are  sleeping. 

That  was  a  long,  cold,  dreary  night;  but  morning 
came  at  last.  Shaking  off  the  snow,  as  they  arose 
from  their  Arctic-like  beds,  the  men  came  forth  like 
half-buried  ghosts.  A  cup  of  coffee,  and  some  of  the 
inevitable  hard-tack  and  pork,  got  up  without  loss  of 
time  and  with  precious  little  ceremony,  had  an  enliv- 
ening and  cheering  effect,  and  neither  few  nor  point- 
less were  the  waggish  remarks  bandied  about,  relative 
to  sleeping  comfortably — whether  the  sheets  were 
clean,  and  whether  thorough  ventilation  was  not  very 
necessary  to  health — and  whether  any  one  did  n't  want 
to  be  helped  to  a  slice  of  turkey,  or  to  a  dish  of  de- 
licious ice-cream.  The  larger  majority,  however,  could 
not  see  where  either  the  joke  or  the  laugh  came  in. 
Like  the  minister  who,  on  being  told  by  one  of  his 
deacons  that  he  ought  to  live  more  on  faith,  and  not 
be  so  anxious  about  his  salary,  replied  that  he  did  live 
on  faith,  but  that  he  wanted  it  pretty  well  mixed  with 
beef  and  bread — so  these  men,  shivering  in  the  cold 
while  munching  their  hard-tack  and  salt  pork,  felt  that 
it  was  all  very  well,  perhaps,  to  those  who  had  a  relish 
for  such  a  primitive,  romantic  style  of  living,  but,  as 
for  them — well,  they  "  could  n't  see  it ! " 

As  early  as  possible,  the  line  was  advanced  a  short 
distance  nearer  the  road  on  which  the  cavalry  were  to 
come;  but  hour  after  hour  wore  away,  and  still  they 
came  not.  So  intensely  cold  had  it  become,  that  the 
men's  clothing  was  freezing  on  them,  and  their  inac- 
tivity, under  such  circumstances,  was  having  the  usual 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          195 

effect.  Many  of  them  were  rapidly  falling  into  a  dozy, 
stupefied  state.  In  fact,  they  were  freezing.  Colonel 
Lane  gave  orders  for  them  to  be  formed  into  squads, 
and  marched  round  a  circle  on  the  double -quick.  So 
benumbed  and  stupefied  were  some  of  them  with  cold, 
that  it  required  force  to  get  them  into  motion;  and 
two  or  three  had  so  far  yielded  to  the  drowsiness 
and  indifference — the  sure  precursors  of  freezing  to 
death — that  their  comrades  had  to  lay  hold  on  them, 
and  shake  and  drag  and  dance  them  round  and  round. 
Had  such  a  plan  not  been  adopted  and  rigidly  en- 
forced by  all  the  officers,  some  would,  doubtless,'  have 
frozen  to  death.  As  it  was,  several  were  severely 
frost-bitten,  and  suffered  for  some  months  in  conse- 
quence. Colonel  Lane  personally  examined  the  arms, 
to  see  what  condition  they  were  in,  and  found  nearly 
all  of  them  more  or  less  unserviceable.  The  rifle- 
barrels  were  found  full  of  ice  and  snow — the  rammers 
frozen  tight  in  their  sockets,  and  the  ammunition 
nearly  all  damp.  This  was  rather  a  critical  condition 
to  be  in.  Orders  were  instantly  given  for  all  who 
could  draw  their  loads  to  do  so,  and  every  prepara- 
tion was  made,  which  experience  and  the  exigency  of 
the  circumstances  could  suggest,  to  meet  the  enemy, 
should  they  appear. 

About  noon  the  cajpalry  arrived;  but  nearly  one- 
third  of  their  horses  had  given  out,  and  the  remainder 
were  nearly  useless  for  any  very  active,  dashing 
service.  Colonel  Paxton,  in  command  of  the  cavalry, 
declared  that  the  expedition,  as  such,  was  a  failure, 
and  that  he  would  withdraw  his  command  from  that 
point,  as  it  was  useless  to  go  further  with  his  horses 


196  LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

in  their  present  broken-down  condition.  He,  being 
the  ranking  officer,  ordered  Colonel  Lane  to  return 
jvith  his  command  to  Summerville,  stating,  at  the 
same  time,  that  he  would  return  by  the  same  road  he 
came.  Thus,  after  all  the  toil,  exposure,  and  priva- 
tions endured,  the  expedition  was  about  to  be  aban- 
doned when  within  a  few  miles  of  where  the  enemy's 
camp  was  supposed  to  be,  and  even  before  finding  out 
whether  the  enemy  were  there  or  not.  But  for 
Colonel  Lane  and  Major  Powell — now  a  brigadier- 
general  in  Sheridan's  army — the  expedition  would 
thus  have  been  given  up.  These  officers  urged  that 
a  reconnoissance  at  least  be  made,  if  nothing  more. 
Major  Powell  asked  permission  to  take  the  cavalry  to 
the  enemy's  camp,  some  five  miles  distant,  to  see 
whether  the  enemy  were  there,  and  in  what  force. 
Leave  was  granted,  and  preparations  were  made 
accordingly.  Major  Powell  asked  the  cooperation  of 
Colonel  Lane,  with  his  infantry  force,  which  was  gladly 
acceded  to.  The  plan  adopted  was  for  the  infantry 
to  precede  the  cavalry  and  drive  in  the  enemy's  pick- 
ets, and  then,  opening  right  and  left,  the  cavalry  were 
to  dash  in  and  take  the  camp  by  surprise.  This  plan 
was  put  into  operation,  and  worked  to  a  charm.  The 
infantry  had  proceeded  about  three  miles,  when  a 
party  of  rebel  cavalry  was  meUcoming  up  the  mount- 
ain road  to  go  on  picket.  The  storm  had  been  so 
severe  for  several  days,  that  they  had  concluded  the 
Yankees,  instead  of  causing  any  trouble,  would  very 
gladly  stay  at  home.  Consequently  they  had  allowed 
their  outer  pickets  on  the  mountain  to  be  withdrawn, 
and  the  movements  of  the  Union  troops  were  scarcely 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   AKMY  LIFE.          197 

known  till  they  were  thundering  and  clattering  right 
among  them.  The  infantry  advance-guard  had  a  brisk 
skirmish  with  the  inner  line  of  pickets,  but  the  latter," 
getting  sight  of  the  he^ad  of  the  advancing  column  of 
infantry,  and,  concluding  there  was  too  much  for 
them,  retreated  slowly,  and  rode  back  toward  their 
camp.  As  soon  as  the  firing  had  commenced,  the 
cavalry,  with  Major  Powell  at  their  head,  advanced  to 
the  front,  overtook  the  retreating  pickets,  who  scat- 
tered into  the  brush,  and,  without  opposition,  dashed 
into  the  rebel  camp,  and  captured  two  hundred  pris- 
oners, with  their  horses  and  equipments,  and  about 
five  hundred  stand  of  small  arms.  They  also  burned 
their  camp,  with  a  large  quantity  of  supplies. 

The  plan  of  attack  was  as  novel  as  it  was  success- 
ful. The  idea  of  infantry  preceding  cavalry  is  by 
no  means  according  to  military  tactics,  as  laid  down 
in  the  books,  and  yet  here  was  a  practical  and  suc- 
cessful illustration  of  the  fact  that,  in  military  as  well 
as  in  other  departments  of  science,  the  books  do  not 
contain  the  finality  either  of  theory  or  practice.  The 
infantry  preceding  the  cavalry — the  cavalry  being 
concealed — the  rebel  scouts  or  pickets,  themselves 
mounted,  were,  consequently,  in  no  haste  to  give  the 
alarm,  never  dreaming  of  a-  cavalry  force  being  so 
near  them.  They  thought,  of  course,  as  they  slowly 
fell  back  to  their  camp,  that  they  could  arrive  in 
sufficient  time  to  give  the  alarm,  and  have  every  thing 
in  readiness  before  the  infantry  could  reach  them. 
As  it  was,  the  pickets,  upon  whom  the  safety  of  the 
camp  depended,  were  scattered  everywhere,  long  be- 
fore they  could  give  any  sufficient  alarm,  and  the  ad- 


198          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

% 

vancing  column  dashed  in  right  among  them,  with  the 
results  already  stated. 

Colonel  Lane  and  others  declared  it  to  be  one  of 
the  neatest  little  affairs  of  the  kind  ever  seen,  and 
they  voted  Major  Powell  one  of  the  most  dashing 
and  adroit  of  cavalry  officers,  and  attributed  the  suc- 
cess of  the  expedition  almost  entirely  to  him.  His 
promotion  to  a  star,  and  to  an  important  command 
under  the  brave,  dashing  Sheridan,  shows  how  he  has 
fought  his  way  up,  and  how  his  services  have  been 
appreciated. 

It  may  just  be  added  that  the  Eleventh  returned  to 
Summerville  by  the  same  route  by  which  it  came, 
arriving  there  on  the  evening  of  the  fifth  day. 


CHAPTER   XV. 

REGIMENTAL  LIBRARY RELIGIOUS  MEETINGS HOW  SOLDIERS  PRAT — 

THE  PRODIGAL'S  RETURN — A  THRILLING  SCENE. 

"Prayer  is  the  Christian's  vital  breath, 

The  Christian's  native  air; 
His  watchword  at  the  gates  of  death, 

He  enters  heaven  by  prayer. 
Prayer  is  the  contrite  sinner's  voice, 

Returning  from  his  ways; 
While  angels  in  their  songs  rejoice, 

And  say,  '  Behold,  he  prays ! ' " 

WHILE  in  winter-quarters  at  Summerville,  time 
passed,  on  the  whole,  quite  pleasantly;  and  perhaps  it 
might  be  said  that,  considering  all  the  circumstances, 
it  passed  not  altogether  unprofitably.  Through  the 
instrumentality  of  the  Christian  Commission — that 
blessed  institution  which  has  done,  and  is  still  doing, 
so  much  for  the  soldiers  in  the  field,  as  well  as  by  the 
kindness  of  friends  generally,  among  whom  may  be 
named  Rev.  E.  Babb,  editor  of  the  Christian  Herald, 
Cincinnati — our  little  regimental  library,  the  nucleus 
of  which  had  been  formed  by  Rev.  Mr.  Dubois,  while 
chaplain  of  the  regiment  for  a  few  months,  in  1861, 
was  greatly  enlarged.  During  a  trip  to  Ohio,  on  offi- 
cial business,  opportunities  were  given  me  to  secure 
large  quantities  of  reading  matter,  so  that,  in  addition 

(199) 


200          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

to  a  full  supply  of  Testaments,  hymn-books,  and  tracts, 
we  had  not  less  than  four  hundred  volumes  in  our  regi- 
mental library.  An  old  but  quite  comfortable  little 
house  was  set  apart  for  the  chaplain's  quarters — one 
end  being  used  as  a  library-room,  the  other  for  quar- 
ters proper  and  for  prayer-meetings.  After  the  quar- 
ters for  the  men  had  been  fitted  up, '  a  dismantled 
church  was  repaired  and  made  quite  comfortable  for 
meetings.  For  several  weeks,  religious  services  were 
held  nearly  every  night.  A  writing-school  was  or- 
ganized, a  Bible-class  formed,  and,  twice  a  week,  lec- 
tures on  temperance,  philosophy,  history,  etc.,  were 
delivered.  Some  of  the  most  interesting  and  en- 
couraging meetings,  perhaps,  ever  held,  under  such 
circumstances,  were  held  here,  and  impressions  were 
made  which  will  never  be  effaced. 

True,  as  a  regiment,  we  were  in  a  very  exposed 
situation,  and  the  utmost  vigilance  had  to  be  main- 
tained at  all  times.  We  were  some  thirty-five  miles 
from  the  nearest  reinforcements,  and  did  not  know 
the  moment  when  an  attack  might  be  made;  yet 
Providence  favored  us,  and,  both  in  regard  to  moral 
and  material  privileges,  we  were  abundantly  blessed. 
And,  while  these  lines  are  penned,  the  little,  dilap- 
idated house,  which  was  so  frequently  the  scene  of 
richest  spiritual  enjoyment  and  social  comfort,  seems 
to  rise  before  me.  A  few  of  those  who  came  to  the 
services  there,  and  whose  voices  were  often  heard 
in  prayer,  or  in  the  song  of  praise,  and  whose 
Christian  fellowship  was  so  highly  prized,  now  sleep 
their  last  sleep.  Men  who  had  fought  bravely  on 
bloody  fields,  and  faced  death  at  the  cannon's  mouth, 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          201 

often  met  together  there,  and  shed  tears  of  holy  joy 
•while  pouring  out  their  heart's  desires  at  a  throne  of 
grace,  or  singing  those  hymns  which,  for  ages,  have  been 
as  the  songs  of  holy  joy  and  the  shouts  of  triumph 
in  the  Church  of  God.  -  How  tender  and  pathetic  were 
the  prayers  which  often  went  up  in  behalf  of  dear 
wife  and  children,  who,  at  home,  might  be  feeling 
lonely  and  sad !  How  earnest  were  the  petitions  that 
the  everlasting  arms  might  be  around  them,  and  that 
the  sheltering  wings  of  Divine  love  might  be  over  them, 
and  that,  if  a  reunion  of  the  loved  and  loving  at  the 
domestic  hearth  should  never  take  place  on  earth, 
they  might  all  meet  in  the  Father's  house  on  high! 
How  frequently,  too,  were  the  dear  names  of  mother 
and  father  breathed!  and  how  often — forgetful  of  all 
but  himself  and  his  own  heart's  longings — did  the  in- 
dividual, engaging  in  prayer,  beseech  God  to  bless 
"  my  wife  "  or  "  my  children ; "  and,  in  some  instances, 
a  full-hearted  son  would,  in  affectionate  simplicity, 
speak  of  "  my  father  "  or  "  my  mother ! "  What  an  ab- 
sence of  all  formality,  and  what  a  full,  free,  outgushing 
of  the  heart's  holiest  sympathies  and  tenderest  emo- 
tions were  at  those  meetings  !  And  how  fervent,  too, 
were  the  petitions  for  an  outpouring  of  God's  Spirit 
on  the  regiment,  that  a  great  and  glorious  work  of 
saving  grace  might  be  experienced — souls  saved  and 
God  glorified!  0,  those  were  precious  seasons  of 
social  and  religious  enjoyment — seasons  of  rich  com- 
fort, to  be  remembered  as  long  as  life  shall  last ! 


202          LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LITE. 


THE  PRODIGAL'S  RETURN. 

On  a  dark,  stormy  evening,  a  scene  transpired  in  my 
quarters  which,  for  deep  interest  and  touching  pathos, 
I  have  seldom  seen  surpassed.  As  a  fitting  introduc- 
tion to  this  picture  of  mingled  "lights  and  shadows," 
the  following  note  is  here  introduced  : 

DEAR  CHAPLAIN:  While  listening  to  you,  last  evening,  de- 
livering your  sermon  on  the  subject  "  Remember  Lot's  wife,"  I 
was,  as  I  have  often  been  of  late,  thrown  into  serious  medita- 
tion. I  viewed  myself  thoroughly,  and  was  surprised  that, 
having  held  the  position  I  once  did,  and  enjoyed  what  I  once 
enjoyed,  and  then  being  what  I  now  am,  I  was  allowed  to  live. 
I  am  lost,  forever  lost!  I  know  that  God  is  ever  ready  to  for- 
give even  the  greatest  sinner,  but  for  me  there  is  no  redemption. 
When  but  twelve  years  of  age,  I  gave  my  heart  to  God.  For 
more  than  twelve  years  I  lived  a  Christian  life.  I  served  God, 
because  I  loved  his  service,  and  was  happy.  I  received  license 
to  preach,  and,  for  over  a  year,  engaged  in  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry, and  was  blessed.  To-day,  where  am  I,  and  what  am  I? 
My  very  frame  shakes  at  the  thought !  .  .  . 

I  know  that  I  have  fallen,  and  that  I  am  responsible;  for 
every  man  must  answer  for  the  sins  he  commits.  I  should  like, 
some  time,  during  a  private  interview,  to  reveal  all  to  you.  My 
history  is  without  a  precedent,  and  is  an  example  for  others  to 
take  warning  by.  ... 

I  am,  with  respect,  yours,  &c.,  . 

On  reading  the  above,  I  immediately  penned  the  fol- 
lowing note : 

MY  DEAR  BROTHER:  Don't  give  up  to  despair,  nor  limit  the 
mercy  and  grace  of  God.  The  very  fact  that  you  feel  as  you 
do,  is  a  proof  that  there  is  salvation  for  you.  The  Divine 
Spirit  alone  can  or  does  bring  a  sinner  to  consider  his  ways, 
and  to  remember  from  whence  he  has  fallen;  and  the  Spirit 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          203 

does  this  to  bring  the  sinner  to  Christ.  If  there  were  no  sal- 
vation for  you,  or  if,  as  you  say,  you  were  lost,  those  feelings 
of  sorrow  would  not  be  in  your  heart.  The  Lord  is  dealing 
with  you  in  mercy.  Think  over  those  precious  texts  of  Scrip- 
ture which  have  comforted  and  sustained  you  in  other  and 
brighter  days.  Get  leave  of  absence  for  an  hour  to-night,  after 
roll-call.  I  will  be  alone,  and  will  gladly  see  you.  I  sympa- 
thize deeply  with  you,  and  am  interested  in  you ;  but,  better 
than  all,  the  blessed  Savior  sympathizes  with  you,  and  is  infi- 
nitely interested  in  your  eternal  welfare.  May  you  be  enabled 
to  rest  your  troubled  soul  upon  the  all-sufficient  Savior ! 

A  few  minutes  after  the  drums  beat  "tattoo,"  the 
young  man  came  to  my  quarters.  He  was  the  very 
picture  of  sorrow.  I  spoke  kindly  and  soothingly 
to  him,  and  tried  to  get  his  attention  fixed  upon  one 
or  two  points ;  namely,  the  infinite  value  of  Christ's 
atoning  sacrifice,  and  the  fatherly  character  of  God. 
He  told  me  how  he  had  fallen.  His  mother,  long  since 
gone  to  glory,  had  led  his  infant  mind  to  the  Savior, 
and,  by  her  holy  example  and  prayerful  teaching,  had 
impressed  on  his  heart  lessons  of  love  and  faith.  In 
early  youth,  he  had  made  a  public  profession  of  faith 
in  Christ,  and  for  twelve  years  had  enjoyed  that  peace 
and  happiness  which  can  only  be  found  by  walking 
with  God.  One  deeply  cherished  desire  had  taken  full 
possession  of  his  heart,  and  had  only  been  intensified 
as  time  passed  on.  That  desire  was  to  preach  the 
Gospel  of  Christ  to  his  fellow-men.  He  prepared  for 
the  ministry,  was  licensed  to  preach,  and  became  a 
candidate  for  ordination.  While  pursuing  his  Chris- 
tian and  ministerial  course,  he  imprudently,  as  some 
of  the  fathers  in  Israel  thought,  made  proposals  of 
marriage  to  a  gay  young  lady,  who,  it  was  thought, 


204          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

loved  music  and  dancing  too  much  to  make  a  good 
minister's  wife.  Thinking  that  he  had  the  first  right 
of  deciding  the  somewhat  delicate  but  very  interesting 
question  as  to  who  should  be  his  wife,  he  rather 
plainly  intimated  to  those  who  took  a  deep  interest 
in  the  matter,  that  a  minister  was  just  as  capable  of 
choosing  a  wife  as  any  other  man,  and  that,  conse- 
quently, he  would  do  as  he  pleased.  The  brethren, 
who  thought  it  their  duty  to  show  him  the  error  of  his 
ways,  in  taking  unto  himself  a  dancing,  music-loving 
young  creature  as  wife,  unfortunately  undertook  the 
hazardous  work  of  proving  that  the  young  lady  in 
question  was  totally  unfit  for  any  Christian's  wife,  and 
finished  by  calling  his  attention  to  her  defects.  Min- 
isters, especially  young  ministers,  have  generally  as 
much  human  nature  as  other  men,  and  are  as  apt  to 
be  headstrong  and  foolish  in  love  aifairs  as  the  rest  of 
sinful  mankind,  and  the  result  was  that  he  cut  the  whole 
business  short  by  making  the  young  lady  in  ques- 
tion his  wife.  The  censure  of  brethren  was  dealt  out 
to  him,  as  he  thought,  unsparingly  and  unmercifully, 
to  which  was  added  the  significant  hint  that  the  gates 
of  ordination  were  now  closed  against  him.  In  an  un- 
guarded moment,  when  chagrin,  disappointment,  and 
blind  resentment  had  driven  out  or  smothered  holier 
feelings,  he  rashly  declared  his  determination  to  re- 
nounce the  Christian  ministry  !  From  that  moment  he 
fell !  In  renouncing  the  sacred  work  of  a  life's  train- 
ing and  a  life's  desires,  he  renounced  his  Savior !  This 
he  felt.  He  could  not  pray,  he  could  not  read  God's 
Word.  Wherever  he  went,  and  whatever  he  did,  he 
was  miserable,  and  only  miserable.  He  plunged  head- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  205 

long  into  ungodliness,  and  the  deeper  he  sank,  the 
more  deeply  and  desperately  did  he  drink  of  sin's 
poisoned  cup,  to  drown  serious  thought  or  quench  the 
awful  consuming  fire  that  raged  within  and  scorched 
his  very  soul.  One  day- he  passed  the  church  in  which 
he  had  preached,  and  such  were  his  feelings  of  horror 
and  despair,  that  tears  trickled  down  his  cheek,  and  he 
trembled  so  that  he  had  to  lean  for  support  against  a 
wall.  Wretched,  miserable,  and  desperate,  he  wan- 
dered up  and  down,  seeking  rest  and  finding  none. 
The  thought  that  he  was  abandoned  of  God — cast  off 
forever — that  he  was  guilty  of  the  "sin  which  hath 
never  forgiveness  " — took  possession  of  his  mind,  and 
he  settled  down  into  a  kind  of  cold,  calm  despair !  In 
the  mean  time,  his  young  wife  had  been  led  to  the  Sav- 
ior, and  made  to  rejoice  in  the  forgiving  mercy  of  God; 
and,  singular  to  relate,  she  became  a  member  of  the 
very  church  in  which  he  had  preached  many  a  Gospel 
sermon ! 

One  day,  while  in  deep  dejection,  he  enlisted,  and, 
after  coming  into  camp,  tried  hard  to  forget  the  past, 
and  live  regardless  of  the  future.  He  succeeded  so 
far  in  casting  off  the  last  vestige  of  piety  as  to  indulge 
a  few  tunes  in  profane  swearing,  and  was,  to  all  intents 
and  purposes,  a  fearful  illustration  of  a  homeless, 
peaceless,  godless  wanderer — a  prodigal  in  a  far 
country,  sunk  in  misery  and  degradation.  At  times 
the  fearfulness  of  his  state,  the  terrible  nature  of  the 
gulf  into  which  he  had  so  madly  plunged,  would 
overwhelm  him  with  alarm,  and  anon  he  would  plunge 
all  the  deeper  and  the  more  madly  into  sin.  A  special 
letter  from  his  wife — a  letter  full  of  love  and  Christian 


206  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

endearment,  and  earnest,  faithful  pleading — reached 
him,  one  day,  and  his  heart  was  touched.  The  mem- 
ories of  other  days — days  of  peace  and  hope  and 
joy — days  of  Christian  honor  and  ministerial  useful- 
ness— came  rushing  like  a  mighty  tide-wave  over  his 
heart,  and  in  agony  he  exclaimed,  "I  am  lost!  I  am 
lost!"  In  this  state  of  mind,  he  came  to  one  of  the 
meetings  which  were  held  nearly  every  night  in  camp. 
The  subject  of  the  discourse  was,  "Lot's  wife  a  warn- 
ing to  backsliders."  The  following  points  were  made : 

She  was  connected  with  a  pious  husband. 

She  was  divinely  warned  to  flee  from  destruction. 

She  made  a  fair  start  toward  the  appointed  place 
of  safety. 

She  was  almost  saved — almost. 

She  perished  within  sight  of  the  refuge. 

Such  is  a  very  brief  sketch  of  the  sad  narrative 
this  fallen  minister  gave  me,  as,  in  deep  distress,  he 
paced  up  and  down  my  little  room. 

"Now,"  said  he,  as  he  finished,  "do  you  think 
there  can  be  mercy  for  such  a  sinner  as  I  am?  0! 
can  the  blood  of  Christ  wash  away  such  dreadful  guilt 
as  is  lying  on  my  poor  soul  ? " 

He  burst  into  tears,  and  sobbed  as  if  his  heart 
would  break,  while  his  Avhole  frame  shook  convulsively. 
The  storm-blast  was  howling  around  the  frail  cabin  in 
which  I  had  my  quarters,  and  the  sleet  was  driving 
heavily  against  the  shingles  and  the  window-pane, 
while  the  numerous  crevices  caused  the  wind  to  moan 
sullenly  within ;  but,  gloomy  and  fearful  as  the  tempest 
was  without,  it  was  nothing  to  the  storm  of  guilt  and 
terror  with  which  an  awakened  conscience  was  lash- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  207 

ing  this  poor  wanderer.  "0  God!"  I  mentally  ex- 
claimed, "  if  these  are  the  sufferings  of  the  unforgiven 
on  this  side  of  the  grave,  where  Mercy  still  invites, 
and  Hope  yet  waves  her  shining  wings  and  points  her 
radiant  finger  to  a  Savior's  cross  and  a  believer's 
heaven,  what,  0  what,  must  they  be  in  the  regions 
of  the  lost,  where  remorse  and  despair  shall  beat  down 
upon  the  naked  soul  in  one  eternal  storm ! " 

I  tried  to  comfort  him  with  the  assurance  that  God 
had  not  cast  him  off,  and  that  his  fearful  state  of  mind 
was  not  only  caused  by  felt  guilt,  but  was  also  the 
result  of  a  conflict  between  him  and  God.  "Your 
Heavenly  Father,"  I  said,  "whom  you  have  so  fear- 
fully forsaken,  is  striving  to  bring  you  into  his  fold 
again.  He  is  infinitely  interested  in  you;  he  loves 
you  dearly,  and  now  waits  to  be  gracious.  Struggle 
no  longer  in  the  horrible  pit  and  in  the  miry  clay,  but 
cast  yourself,  as  a  helpless,  miserable  sinner,  into  the 
arms  of  the  Savior — 

"'Five  bleeding  wounds  he  bears, 

Received  on  Calvary: 
They  pour  effectual  prayers, 

They  strongly  speak  for  thee; 
Forgive  him,  0  forgive !  they  cry — 
Nor  let  that  ransomed  sinner  die.' " 

j*'Pray  for  me,"  said  he,  "and  I  will  try,  through 
God's  help,  to  give  my  heart  to  him — if — if  there  can 
be  mercy  for  me." 

Lieutenant  Conklin  having  come  in,  we  knelt  down 
and  had  two  seasons  of  prayer.  Both  of  us  labored 
with  this  poor,  crushed,  penitent  soul,  and  tried  every 


'208          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

effort  to  lead  him  to  realize  tlie  infinite  fullness  of 
Christ's  atoning  work. 

Next  day  I  had  an  interview  with  him,  and  found 
him  more  calm  and  collected.  At  the  prayer-meeting 
two  nights  afterward,  he  stated  that  he  was  a  brand 
plucked  from  the  burning.  He  confessed  how  fear- 
fully he  had  fallen,  and  that  his  comrades  knew  how 
wicked  he  had  been. 

"But  now,"  said  he,  "I  have  resolved  to  return,  as 
a  poor,  wretched  prodigal,  to  my  Heavenly  Father, 
and  I  humbly  trust  that,  through  the  merits  of 
Christ's  death,  I  may  yet  say  he  has  forgiven  my  sins, 
and  given  to  me  that  hope  and  that  love  without  which 
I  have  been  miserable  so  long." 

His  statements  were  simple  and  humble,  and  told 
with  thrilling  effect  upon  all  present. 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

A  GOOD  MAN'S  LAST    RESTING-PLACE — REVERIES    IN  A  GRAVEYARD- 
HOW   WE   SHOULD   THINK  OF  DEATH CHRISTIAN    TRIUMPHS    IN    THB 

LAST  HOUR. 

"Then  while,  with  visage  blank  and  sear, 

The  poor  in  soul  we  see, 
Let  us  not  think  what  he  is  here, 

But  what  he  soon  will  be  ; 
And  look  beyond  this  earthly  night, 

To  crowns  of  gold  and  bowers  of  light." 

"Tnis  is  where  J ,  poor  fellow,  is  buried — right 

here,  chaplain." 

This  was  said  by  a  member  of  the  regiment,  one 
day,  as  I  walked  through  the  neglected  graveyard,  in 
the  vicinity  of  camp. 

"A  kind  of  strange  genius,  you  know;  but,  a  good 
fellow,  a  splendid  soldier ;  we  all  felt  sorry  when  he 
died,"  repeated  my  informant. 

True,  he  was  gone!  that  quiet,  unassuming,  good 
man.  Like  many  others  in  this  world  of  ours,  he  was 
not  known  till  he  died.  He  was  one  of  the  Savior's 
humble  and  childlike  followers.  Few  of  us  appre- 
ciated his  character  till  he  was  laid  in  his  grave.  In 
appearance  he  was  awkward  and  ungainly,  paid  little 
attention  to  neatness  of  person  or  clothing,  which,  to- 
gether with  his  retiring  disposition,  served  to  separate 
18  (209) 


210          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

him  somewhat  from  his  companions  in  arms.  He  fre- 
quently came  to  my  tent  to  talk  on  religious  matters  ; 
yet,  on  such  occasions,  he  said  but  little.  The  only 
time  that  he  ever,  with  any  degree  of  freencss,  spoke 
of  himself  or  of  experimental  religion,  was  a  few  days 
after  the  battle  of  Antietarn.  His  conversation  then 
was  but  one  blessed,  glorious  outpouring  of  a  loving,. 
Christian  heart,  anxious  to  perform  every  duty,  and 
yearning  for  more  of  the  Savior's  presence !  He  told 
me  of  his  experiences  on  the  several  battlefields  on 
which  we  had  been  engaged,  and  how  he  felt  while  in 
the  midst  of  destruction  and  death.  Artless  and  sim- 
ple was  his  little  unvarnished  tale  of  Christian  expe- 
rience; but  how  suggestive,  how  meek  and  childlike! 
Never  will  I  forget  the  humble,  thrilling  manner  in 
which  he  said  : 

"  I  wanted  to  tell  you  how  happy  I  've  been  in  the 
love  of  Jesus  ! " 

Good,  patient,  brave  Christian  soldier!  thy  worth 
was  not  known  till  the  angels  came  near  to  thy  lowly 
cot,  and  waited  to  waft  thy  patient,  Christlike  spirit 
to  the  bosom  of  God  ! 

"At  midnight  came  the  cry — 

'  To  meet  thy  God  prepare ! ' 
He  woke,  and  caught  his  Captain's  eye, 
The  strong  in  faith  and  prayer. 

"His  spirit,  with  a  bound, 

Left  its  incumbering  clay; 
His  tent,  at  sunrise,  on  the  ground 
A  darkened  ruin  lay." 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS  OF  ARMY  LIFE.       211 

REVERIES  IN  A  GRAVEYARD. 

The  graveyard  referred  to  as  containing  the  sleep- 
ing dust  of  some  of  the  brave  soldiers  of  the  Eleventh, 
was  used  also  by  the  Thirty-sixth  Ohio  as  a  burying- 
place  during  the  stay  of  that  regiment  at  Summer- 
ville  the  previous  winter.  But,  notwithstanding  the 
fact  that  my  attention  had  been  called  to  the  grave 

of  poor  J ,  and  I  noticed  here  and  there  the  plain, 

homely  headboard — the  invariable  token  of  a  soldier's 
grave — it  was  several  moments  before  I  could  realize 
the  fact  that  the  spot  on  which  I  stood  was  really  a 
graveyard.  And  yet,  that  it  was  such  a  place,  it  was 
soon  easy  to  discover ;  for,  amid  the  tangled  briers  and 
alders  and  rank  yellow  grass,  there  glimmered,  here 
and  there,  a  dilapidated  tombstone,  the  lettering  of 
which  was  covered  with  moss  or  green  mold.  And, 
even  had  no  marble  or  freestone  marked  the  lowly 
bed  of  many  a  peaceful  slumberer,  the  grassy  mounds — 
some  but  slightly  elevated,  others  nearly  level,  and 
some  so  rounded  as  to  show  that  the  occupants  had 
been  but  lately  laid  to  rest — would  have  told  the  tale 
of  buried,  sleeping  humanity. 

A  grave  is  always  to  me  an  object  of  solemn  inter- 
est, but  I  seldom  read  a  tombstone.  I  can  give  no 
reason  for  this,  save  that  the  grave  itself — whether 
covered  with  the  green  sod,  adorned  with  summer 
flowers,  or  but  recently  made — is  suggestive  of  inter- 
esting and  important  reflections.  Imperceptibly  my 
thoughts  revert  to  the  past,  or  glide  onward  to  the 
future ;  and  scenes  pertaining  to  life,  death,  immortal- 
ity, the  resurrection,  and  Day  of  Judgment  loom  up 


212  LIGHTS    AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

before  me,  and  I  think  less  on  the  age  or  name  of  the 
silent  tenant  of  the  tomb  than  I  do  of  his  relationship 
to  these  dread  scenes.  The  lonely  character  of  the 
place  referred  to,  the  neglect  everywhere  visible,  the 
tangled,  withered  grass,  and  rank  weeds,  and  matted 
briers,  and  wild  shrubs,  which  seemed  to  shelter  the 
lowly  graves  and  tottering  tombstones  from  the  pro- 
fane foot  of  the  thoughtless  man,  or  the  iron  hoof  of 
the  war-horse,  were  all  conducive  to  gloomy  reflec- 
tions. Perhaps,  too,  the  dark  clouds  overhead,  and 
the  wet  yellow  grass,  and  the  dripping  alder  and  brier 
bushes,  which  seemed  to  drip  tears  over  neglected 
graves  and  the  desecrated  resting-place  of  a  past  gen- 
eration, deepened  the  gloomy  feeling,  and  it  seemed 
as  if  some  hollow,  sepulchral  voice  reechoed  the  words 
of  Gray's  dirge-like  poem — 

"The  Grave — dread  thing! 

Men  shiver  when  thou  'rt  named.     Nature,  appalled, 
Shakes  off  her  wonted  firmness.     Ah!  how  dark 
Thy  long-extended  realms  and  rueful  wastes ! 
Where  naught  but  silence  reigns,  and  night,  dark  night!" 

On  returning  to  my  quarters,  I  sat  down  by  the 
rough  board  which  served  for  table  and  writing-desk, 
and  was  soon  absorbed  in  deep  and  saddened  thought. 
The  lonely,  neglected  graveyard  seemed  to  be  still 
before  me.  I  could  think  of  nothing  else  but  that  des- 
olate place,  and  all  the  associations,  both  of  peace 
and  war,  with  which  it  was  connected.  I  remem- 
bered the  soldiers'  humble  graves  there,  and  thought 
how  appropriate  would  be  the  inscription  over  each 
sleeper : 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  213 

"A     STRANGER     HERE.      LlTTLE     KNOWN     OP     THE     SLUMBERER     BE- 
NEATH,  BUT    THIS:    HE   LOVED   HIS   COUNTRY,  AND    IN    HER 

SERVICE    AND    FOR     HER    DEFENSE    HE    DIED!       TREAD 
LIGHTLY    O'ER    THE    SOLDIER'S    GRAVE.    FOR    SA- 
CRED TO  THE  NATION'S  HEART  ARE 

THE    RESTING-PLACES    OF    HER    FALLEN    HEROES." 

I  thought,  too,  of  the  manner  in  which  many  grave- 
yards are  kept;  how  the  dead  are  forgotten,  and  their 
last  resting-places  neglected;  and  that,  instead  of 
flowers  or  evergreens  being  planted  over  them  as 
tokens  of  affection  and  sweet  emblems  of  the  resur- 
rection, the  long  rank  grass,  and  tangled  weeds  and 
briers,  are  permitted  to  grow  in  melancholy  luxuri- 
ance. All  this,  thought  I,  shows  that  the  dead  are 
friendless  and  forgotten,  and  that  the  living  are 
thoughtless  and  neglectful.  The  atheist  who  writes 
the  fearfully  wicked  words,  "There  is  no  God,"  and 
the  infidel  who  inscribes  the  terribly  dark  and  revolt- 
ing sentence  over  the  gateway  to  the  tomb,  "  Death  is 
an  eternal  sleep,"  may,  consistently  with  their  unhal 
lowed  creed,  forget  the  dead  as  they  insult  the  living, 
and  they  may  tread  profanely  upon  the  silent  cham- 
bers of  mortality;  but  it  ill  becomes  the  Christian  so 
to  act.  Rather  let  believers  in  the  pure,  lovely,  hope- 
inspiring  doctrines  of  the  Gospel  not  only  keep  the 
memory  of  departed  friends  ever  green,  but,  in  token 
of  hope  and  love,  let  them  beautify,  with  Nature's 
own  gems  and  jewels,  the  lowly  resting-places  of  the 
sainted  dead.  Let  them  make  the  graveyard  itself  a 
scene  of  quiet  and  subdued  loveliness.  Yea,  let  them 
make  it — like  the  place  where  the  blessed  Savior  him- 
self was  laid — "A  garden,  and  in  the  garden  a  new 
eepulcher." 


214          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY   LIFE. 

Why  should  not  the  living  desire  that  the  resting- 
places  of  the  dead  should  wear,  as  much  as  possible,  a 
calm,  peaceful  look — a  look  of  hope,  a  look  of  beauty  ? 
Was  it  not  from  a  childlike  faith,  and  from  child- 
like instincts  of  repose  and  beauty,  as  well  as  from  a 
shrinking  back  from  the  dark,  dreary  repulsiveness  of 
the  neglected  and  festering  graveyard,  that  the  little 
dying  girl  exclaimed,  "  Bury  me  in  the  garden,  mother ! 
bury  me  in  the  garden?"  Was  it  not  from  the  desire 
that  in  the  early  spring  the  apple-blossoms  might  fall 
upon  her  little  grave,  and  that  the  flowers  might  bloom, 
and  the  birds  sing,  and  the  sunshine  fall  all  around 
where  she  peacefully  slept?  And  was  it  not  the  same 
instinct  that  prompted  the  dying  boy  to  ask  whether 
his  little  sister  would  n't  come  and  plant  favorite 
flowers  on  his  grave,  and  whether  she  and  mother 
would  n't  come,  in  the  long  summer  evenings,  and  sit 
and  sing  by  his  resting-place  ?  And  did  not  the  same 
feelings  animate  the  bosom  of  Wilson,"  the  great  orni- 
thologist, when  he  breathed  the  wish  to  be  buried  where 
the  birds  might  sing  over  his  grave? — a  wish  that  has 
been  literally  fulfilled.  We  can  not  make  graveyards 
cheerful;  neither  can  we  dissociate  from  them  solemn 
feelings  and  sad,  painful  reflections.  It  is  not  de- 
sirable we  should  do  so ;  but  we  can  make  them  beau 
tiful,  lovely,  ay,  sweet  and  inviting,  to  the  stricken, 
bereaved  mourner,  and  fitting  places  for  calm  medita- 
tion and  serious  thought. 

The  above  reflections,  suggested  as  already  noted, 
brought  up  others  related  to  the  same  subject,  but  in- 
vested with  more  importance  and  interest.  I  thought 
about  death,  as  well  as  the  grave;  and  wondered 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE.          215 

whether  our  feelings  as  Christians,  concerning  both, 
were  not  entirely  too  gloomy.  In  sermons  and  books 
and  obituaries,  do  we  not  speak  of  Death  as  that  grim 
and  ghastly  tyrant  that  has  waved  his  black  scepter 
over  all  the  generations  of  men,  and  made  the  march 
from  lisping  infancy  to  hoary  age  but  a  dark  and  dis- 
mal procession,  under  funeral  banners  and  gloomy 
badges?  Do  we  not  represent  Death  as  an  angel  of 
darkness,  whose  visage  is  terrible,  and  whose  touch  is 
cold  and  remorseless  as  the  grave?  Or  as  a  skeleton 
specter,  whose  teeth  rattle  in  the  fleshless  skull,  and 
whose  bony  fingers  grasp  a  keen-bladed  scythe  and 
ominous  sand-glass?  Or  as  a  dull-eyed,  unfeeling 
potentate,  arrayed  in  garments  of  gloom,  and  whose 
symbol  of  power  is  his  dark  and  shadowy  foot,  placed 
remorselessly  on  the  bosom  of  helpless  humanity? 
That  a  busy,  thoughtless  world,  sunk  in  sin,  and  fever- 
ishly grasping  the  gilded  bauble  of  sensual  pleasure, 
should,  when  it  does  think  of  death,  have  such  a  grim, 
gloomy  specter  rise  up  before  it,  and  point  threaten- 
ingly to  the  dreary  shades  of  the  silent  land  from 
whose  dark  shores  no  voyager  ever  returns,  is  but  in 
keeping  with  the  fearful  forebodings  of  a  guilty  con- 
science. 

But  why  may  not  the  Christian,  happy  in  a  Savior's 
love,  and  rejoicing  in  hope  of  the  glory  of  God,  think 
of  Death  rather  as  a  white-robed  angel,  radiant  with 
the  splendors  of  the  City  of  God,  and  having  at  his 
azure  girdle  the  golden  keys  of  life,  ready  to  open  the 
mysterious  gates  of  the  glorious  future,  and  admit  the 
weary  pilgrim  of  earth  to  all  the  unimagined  splen- 
dors of  the  home  of  the  redeemed  ?  Even  the  ancient 


216          LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

heathen  represented  Death  as  a  celestial  messenger, 
who,  with  smiling  face  and  folded  wings  quietly  ex- 
tinguished the  light  of  life.  0 !  let  us  take  the  Bible, 
with  its  holy  teachings,  its  sure  promises,  its  blessed 
comforts,  and  its  beautiful  pictures  of  the  believer's 
life  and  death  and  immortality,  and  we  shall  be  en- 
abled to  feel  that,  however  varied  the  figures  adopted 
to  represent  the  last  scene,  we  shall  be  able  to  say — 

"0,  'tis  a  peaceful  rest; 

Who  should  deplore  it  ? 
Trance  of  the  pure  and  blest, 

Angels  watch  o'er  it  I 
Sleep  of  a  mortal  night, 

Sorrow  can't  break  it; 
Heaven's  own  morning  light 

Alone  shall  wake  it." 

While  in  quietude  and  meditation  I  sat  there,  after 
our  usual  evening  services — all  quiet  around  save  the 
heavy,  measured  tread  of  the  sentinel — other  scenes 
were  brought  vividly  before  me.  The  thought  that 
death,  to  the  believer,  is  not  terrific,  but  welcome ;  not 
a  hideous  monster,  but  an  angel  of  brightness ;  not 
the  grim,  ghastly  specter  of  fate,  but  a  white-robed 
messenger  from  the  skies,  sent  to  gather,  here  and 
there,  in  the  Lord's  garden  of  grace,  sweet  flowers 
and  buds  and  blossoms,  that  they  may  be  planted  in 
the  garden  of  glory,  led  me  to  think  of  glorious  death- 
bed scenes  I  had  been  privileged  to  see  in  the  quiet 
walks  of  pastoral  life,  in  the  military  hospitals,  and  on 
the  field  of  battle.  I  thought  of  the  death  of  one  who, 
through  weary  months  of  suffering,  patiently  waited 
for  his  summons  to  the  shining  shore.  How  calmly 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  217 

he  could  talk  of  death  !  How  strong  his  faith  in 
Christ!  How  sweet  his  enjoyments  were,  when,  a 
night  or  two  before  he  died,  he  partook  of  the  Lord's 
Supper !  And  how  sweetly,  at  the  last,  he  fell  asleep 
in  Jesus ! 

And  I  thought,  too,  of  another  room,  into  which 
Death  came,  but  cast  no  shadows.  We  had  watched 
the  dying  one  during  the  night,  and  when  the  sum- 
mer's sun  poured  his  morning  beams  through  the 
branches  of  the  trees,  and  in  at  the  open  window,  we 
gathered  more  closely  around  the  bed  to  witness  the 
calm  triumphs  of  a  redeemed  spirit.  Save  that  the 
loving  young  wife  held  the  cold  hands  of  the  sufferer, 
while  the  holy  tears  of  woman's  love  and  sympathy 
trickled  over  her  cheek,  and  a  sigh  of  anguish  invol- 
untarily burst  from  her  lips,  no  one  could  have  im- 
agined that  any  thing  like  grief  or  gloom  was  there. 
That  room  was  not  on  the  brink  of  the  dark  stream 
where  mortals  shiver,  and  from  which  they  shrink 
aghast ;  but  it  was  quite  on  the  verge  of  heaven,  and 
we  felt  like  as  if  we  might  almost  hear  the  rustling 
of  angels'  wings. 

"  It  is  sweet  to  die  in  Jesus  ! "  whispered  the  dying 
one,  while  a  smile  of  joy  irradiated  his  pale  counte- 
nance. "  Happy  day,  happy  day,  when  Jesus  washed 
my  sins  away!"  were  faintly  murmured,  as,  like  a 
wearied  infant,  he  gently  fell  asleep. 

Months  rolled  away,  and,  while  loving  hearts  yet 
mourned  in  the  solitude  of  bereavement,  strength  was 
gained  so  as  to  have  the  mastery  over  feelings  of 
undue  grief.  Again  sweet  music  was  heard  in  that 
dwelling,  and  songs  such  as  angels  may  sing — songs 
19 


218          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

of  hope  for  stricken  hearts — songs  of  rest  to  the 
weary,  tempest-tossed  soul — songs  of  joy  in  antici- 
pation of  the  triumphal  odes  of  heaven  were  sung, 
and — Death  came  to  that  household  again.  This  time 
he  came  to  one  over  whose  pathway  a  dark  cloud  had 
hovered,  and  whose  young  heart,  years  ago,  had  been 
crushed  "  nigh  unto  death  "  by  bitter  and  cruel  grief. 
Plighted  vows  had  been  broken  by  him  who  stood  up 
before  God's  minister  and  promised  to  love  and  cher- 
ish her.  The  fair  flowers  and  priceless  jewels  of 
woman's  pure  and  noble  love  he  had  ruthlessly  torn 
in  pieces  and  flung  from  him  as  if  worthless — a  crime, 
0,  reader,  which  is,  perhaps,  seldom  if  ever  forgiven; 
and  he  had — But  enough!  Years  of  silent,  secret 
grief  had  written  premature  lines  on  that  fair  brow, 
and  dimmed  the  luster  of  that  bright  eye.  But  now 
Death  had  come  to  take  her  away  to  her  heavenly 
home,  and  surely  to  her  the  messenger  was  one  of 
light,  for  her  countenance  was  radiant  with  joy,  and 
so  calm  that 

"We  thought  her  dying  when  she  slept, 
And  sleeping  when  she  died! " 

How  sweet  that  death-bed  was,  only  those  could 
kno\v  who  were  privileged  to  behold  it.  So  near 
heaven  did  it  seem,  that  our  hearts  felt  unutterably 
full  of  sacred  joy,  and  some  of  us,  at  least,  felt  a  mys- 
terious heart-longing — a  kind  of  home-sickness  for  the 
heavenly  home.  Death,  in  this  instance  again,  was  as- 
suredly an  angel  of  light ;  and  the  wearied  one  whom, 
he  came  to  release,  saw  only  the  messenger  of  her  Sav- 
ior, sent  to  take  her  to  the  shores  of  glory. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          219 

A  cloud  lay  cradled  near  the  setting  sun ; 

A  gleam  of  crimson  tinged  its  braided  snow ; 
Long  had  I  watched  the  glory  moving  on 

O'er  the  still  radiance  of  the  lake  below; 
Tranquil  its  spirit  seemed,  and  floated  slow, 

E'en  in  its  very'motion  there  was  rest; 
While  every  breath  of  eve  that  chanced  to  blow, 

Wafted  the  traveler  to  the  beauteous  west. 
Emblem,  methought,  of  the  departed  soul, 

To  whose  white  robe  the  gleam  of  bliss  is  giv'n, 
And,  by  the  breath  of  mercy,  made  to  roll 

Right  onward  to  the  golden  gates  of  heaven  ; — 
Where,  to  the  eye  of  faith,  it  peaceful  lies, 

And  tells  the  man  his  glorious  destinies. 

WILSON 


CHAPTER    XVII. 

LITTLE     SHADY — THE    BEAUTIES    OF    SLAVERY. 

ONE  morning,  toward  the  close  of  1862,  a  little  fel- 
low, not  quite  as  black  as  coal,  but  a  genuine  specimen 
of  what  official  orders  distinguished  as  persons  of 
"African  descent,"  made  his  appearance  within  our 
lines,  and  within  the  special  limits  of  our  camp.  He 
had  been  everywhere  among  the  men,  knew  almost 
every  command,  could  dance  "  Juba  "  with  such  earnest 
good  will,  and  introduce  such  comical  variations  and 
facial  contortions,  that  his  "  culled  bredren  "  seemed  to 
be  in  imminent  danger  of  getting  "clar  done  gone" 
into  convulsions  or  something  else  equally  serious; 
could  whistle  any  bugle-call,  and  drum  any  tune  ever 
heard  in  camp — and  some  that  nobody  in  camp  or  out 
of  it  ever  heard — could  kick  the  cap  off  his  head  with 
his  heels,  and  roll  his  eyes  in  his  round,  black  face  with 
such  a  serio-comic  expression,  that  one  scarcely  knew 
whether  he  was  the  impersonation  of  drollery  or  an 
imp  of  mischief.  My  first  special  acquaintance  with 
this  little  fellow,  who  was,  by  the  way,  a  perfect  fac- 
simile of  Topsy  or  Tom-tit,  was  in  this  wise  : 

One  cold  morning,  just  after  reveille,  I  had  tucked 
my  blanket  snugly  around  me  for  another  half  hour's 
"little  more  sleep  and  little  more  slumber,"  which 
(220) 


LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  221 

good  old  Dr.  Watts  reprehends  so  much.  I  was  just 
getting  into  that  calm,  dreamy,  pleasant  kind  of  re- 
pose which  lazy  second  sleepers  are  apt  to  fall  into, 
when  a  tremendous  racket  at  my  cabin-door  brought 
me  up  in  a  hurry.  If  seemed  as  if  the  battering  and 
kicking  were  sufficient  to  waken  the  Seven  Sleepers,  and 
as  if  intended  to  give  warning  that  the  gray-backs 
were  right  upon  us. 

Rat,  tap,  tap !  rub-a-dub,  dub ! 

"What's  wanted?"  I  shouted. 

"  Please,  Massa  Chap 'in,  I'se  come  to  make  yer  fire." 

Of  course  I  opened  the  door  and  admitted  the  au- 
thor of  the  noisy  demonstrations,  and  there  stood 
before  me  the  very  impersonation  of  mischief,  native 
shrewdness,  and  demure  humility.  The  little  fellow 
had  his  feet  encased  in  army  shoes  of  about  number 
seven,  and  dressed  in  a  cast-off  uniform  which  was 
large  enough  for  him  to  be  buried  in.  The  wool  on  the 
top  of  his  head  was  kinky  and  matted  enough  to  be 
impervious  to  any  thing  in  the  shape  of  a  comb,  and 
would  have  driven  good  Miss  Ophelia,  with  her  New 
England  ideas  of  thrift  and  neatness,  into  a  fit  of  hys- 
terics. He  was  seemingly  about  twelve  years  of  age, 
had  a  peculiar  confidential  air  about  him,  and  a  merry, 
roguish  twinkle  of  the  eye  that  told  of  fire  and  fun 
and  mischief.  After  he  had  got  the  fire  roaring  and 
blazing,  and  tumbled  every  thing  upside  down  in  his 
frantic  efforts  to  put  things  in  order,  and  kicked  up 
such  a  dust  in  flourishing  a  hickory  broom  over  the 
floor,  that  I  was  nearly  strangled,  he  subsided  into  a 
corner  and  surveyed  his  labors  with  the  air  of  a  hero. 

"Would  you  like  to  stay  with  me?"  I  asked. 


222          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

"Yes,  sah,"  he  replied,  quickly,  while  his  eye 
twinkled  with  a  pleased,  roguish  expression,  and  his 
ivories  gleamed  in  striking  contrast  with  his  jolly 
black  face.  Forthwith  little  Shady  was  regularly  in- 
stalled into  office,  and  went  to  work  accordingly. 

One  evening  I  got  into  conversation  with  him  as 
follows : 

"How  old  are  you,  Shady?" 

"Dunno,  massa;  neber  knowed  how  old  I  is." 

"  Have  you  any  brothers  or  sisters  ?  " 

"Yes,  sah." 

"How  many  have  you  got?"  I  asked. 

"Dunno  how  many  I'se  got — got  some." 

"You  don't  know  how  many  you've  got!  Why, 
what  do  you  mean?" 

"White  folks  count  one,  two,  three — dis  nigga  can't 
count  more'n  one,  two,  three.  I'se  got  one,  two,  three 
brudders ;  den  dar's  de  gals,  more'n  one,  two,  three." 

"Do  you  remember  their  names?"  I  asked. 

"Yes — dar's  Jim,  was  sold  to  Massa  Green,  and 
dar's  Sal  in  de  big  house,  and  dar's  Luce  that  massa 
sold  to  gen'lman  in  Baltimore,  and  dar's  Sam  and 
Pete  and  Sue — and  den  dar's  de  baby  and  t'other  baby 
and  me — how  many  dat  ar,  chap'in?" 

"Nine,"  I  replied.  He  then  named  them  all  over 
again,  pronouncing  each  name  as  he  touched  his 
fingers. 

"Why  did  you  run  away?"  I  asked.  "Did  your 
mother  know  that  you  were  going  off  with  the 
soldiers  ?  " 

"Yes,  sah,"  he  replied,  in  a  low,  confidential  tone. 
"Mother  told  me  I  oughter  go  wid  dem  Yankee  sol- 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

diers,  for  massa  had  sold  me  to  anoder  gen'lman,  an' 
she  would  neber  see  me  again,  jest  like  poor  Luce 
in  Baltimore.  How  far  to  Baltimore,  chap'in?  I'se 
gwine  dar  sometime — I  want  ter  see  Luce — she's 
good  gal." 

"Do  you  know  who  made  you,  Shady?" 

The  little  fellow  looked  up  into  my  face  with  such 
a  comical,  quizzical  expression  on  his  round,  black 
face,  that  I  did  not  know  what  to  make  of  it.  He 
seemed  to  wonder  at  such  an  abstruse,  perhaps  to  him 
absurd,  question.  I  asked  again,  "Do  you  know  who 
made  you?" 

"  Dunno  who  made  me ;  neber  hearn  tell  'bout  sich 
things." 

"Did  no  one  ever  tell  you  about  God,  who  made 
all  things?" 

"  Old  Uncle  Pete  sometimes  spoke  'bout  de  Lord — 
but  dunno  nothin'  'bout  sich  things." 

"Did  you  ever  hear  about  a  good  man  called  Jesus 
Christ,  that  wicked  men  nailed  on  a  tree  called  a 
cross  ? " 

"Neber  hearn  tell  'bout  um.  Who  was  Jesus, 
chap'in?  Did  you  eber  see  um?" 

I  then  told  him,  in  simple  language,  the  Story  of 
the  Cross,  and,  when  I  spoke  of  Jesus  by  the  name 
of  /Savior,  the  little  fellow  interrupted  me,  saying : 

"Now  I  'member  mother  talkin'  to  Sal  'bout  de 
Savior.  Is  Jesus  de  Savior?" 

Talk  about  the  heathen  in  Africa  and  India  and  the 
South  Sea  Islands!  Talk  about  the  divine,  patri- 
archal institution  of  slavery,  and  the  eminently  Chris- 
tianizing spirit  which  it  has  manifested!  No  won- 


224          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

der  that  slaveholders  and  their  miserable,  servile  apol- 
ogists in  the  North  have  sought  for  years  to  cover 
up  the  iniquitous  system!  But  how  terrible  the 
thought  that  ministers  of  the  Gospel  have  stood  forth 
before  heaven  and  earth,  and  baptized  the  vile  thing 
in  the  name  of  the  God  of  truth  and  love,  and  thrown 
around  it  the  sacred  protection  of  the  Divine  Word, 
and  received  it  into  the  Church  of  Jesus  Christ !  But 
slavery  is  dead !  Thank  God,  it  is  dead !  What  an 
emasculated  Gospel,  in  the  hands  of  corrupt  ministers, 
failed  to  do  for  the  South,  the  bayonet,  in  the  strong 
hands  of  brave  soldiers,  has,  in  the  providence  of  God, 
most  signally  and  gloriously  accomplished. 


CHAPTER   XVIII. 

THE  ARMY  OF  THE  CUMBERLAND EFFORTS  OF  NORTHERN  TRAITORS 

FEELINGS    OF    THE    SOLDIERS. 

•ON  the  morning  of  the  24th  of  January,  1863,  the 
Eleventh,  Thirty-sixth,  Eighty-ninth,  and  Ninety-sec- 
ond Ohio  Regiments,  under  General  Crook,  left  the 
Kanawha  Valley  to  join  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland, 
under  Major-General  Rosecrans.  The  division,  on  ar- 
riving at  Nashville,  was  further  reinforced  by  Stokes's 
regiment  of  East  Tennessee  Cavalry  and  the  Nine- 
teenth Indiana  Battery.  On  the  22d  of  February,  the 
division  left  Nashville  for  Carthage,  on  the  Cumber-, 
land  River,  and  reached  that  point  on  the  26th  in- 
stant. 

We  encamped  on  the  south  side  of  the  river;  but, 
being  some  forty-five  miles  from  the  nearest  support, 
and  as  Bragg  had  made  this  point  a  favorite  crossing 
place,  General  Crook  was  induced  to  seek  a  more  de- 
fensible position  on  the  north  side  of  the  river.  The 
division,  accordingly,  fell  back  to  a  more  commanding 
position  on  the  north  and  east  of  the  village.  The 
position,  strong  by  nature,  was  further  strengthened 
by  extensive  lines  of  earth-works  and  rifle-pits,  com- 
manding the  river  and  turnpike,  and  which  were  so 

(225) 


226          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

constructed  that,  in  case  of  necessity,  guns  could  be 
mounted  en  barbette. 


REBELS  IN  FRONT — MEANER  REBELS  IN  THE  REAR. 

It  does  a  great  amount  of  good,  sometimes,  to  look 
to  the  past.  In  the  light  of  experience,  as  well  as 
with  the  logic  of  events,  individuals  and  nations  may 
not  only  recognize  their  own  failings,  but  they  may, 
also,  see  how  an  overruling  and  All-wise  Providence 
has  directed,  sustained,  and  protected  in  the  most  diffi- 
cult, depressing,  and  dangerous  circumstances.  Were 
it  within  the  scope  of  this  work,  which  it  is  not,  it 
might  be  both  interesting  and  profitable  to  trace  some 
of  the  darker  and  more  concealed  lines  of  history  con- 
nected with  the  opening  of  the  year  1863.  But,  as  it 
is,  it  seems  as  if  at  least  a  passing  reference  should  be 
made,  just  at  this  point,  to  sojie  of  the  desperate 
schemes  of  rebel  sympathizers  in  the  North  at  the 
time  referred  to.  Well-laid  plans  had  been  formed 
by  Northern  traitors  to  demoraJire  the  army  in  the 
field,  as  well  as  to  neutralize  efforts  at  home  to  crush 
the  rebellion.  They  put  forth  every  effort,  directly  and 
indirectly,  in  public  and  in  private,  by  newspapers  and 
letters,  to  induce  discontent  and  despondency,  and  even 
insubordination,  both  among  officers  and  men.  Private 
letters,  artfully  worded,  but  too  plain  to  be  misunder- 
stood, were  sent  to  the  soldiers  by  those  shameless 
traitors  every  day.  The  writers  affected  to  admire 
the  devotion  and  bravery  of  the  army,  expressed  pity 
for  each  individual  soldier  who  was  suffering  so  much 
in  the  camp  and  in  the  field,  but — but — yes,  it  was  a 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          227 

great  pity — a  great  pity,  indeed,  that  he  was  deceived 
by  designing  Abolitionists ;  for  it  was  quite  evident,  to 
far-seeing  people  of  the  Democratic  persuasion,  that  this 
war  was  not  for  the  Union,  but  for  "negro  equality." 
Then  the  letters  were  usually  closed  with  a  piece  of 
information  to  the  effect  that,  so  numerous  were  the 
friends  of  the  poor  deceived  soldier,  every  facility 
would  be  given  him  to  leave  the  army,  and  that,  if 
necessary,  citizen's  clothing,  and  money,  also,  would 
be  furnished  in  abundance  to  aid  him  in  getting  away 
from  the  "Abolitionist  hordes."  Newspapers,  also, 
like  the  Cincinnati  Enquirer,  Dayton  Empire,  New 
York  Herald,  and  World,  were  circulated  as  much  as 
possible,  and  no  one  needs  to  be  informed  of  the 
atrociously  false  and  traitorous  character  of  those 
papers  at  the  time  referred  to,  nor  of  the  unscrupu- 
lous and  persistent  efforts  they  made  to  seduce  the 
people  into  a  wicked  and  dishonorable  peace  with 
traitors.  By  means  of  mail  facilities,  some  of  the 
more  vile  of  the  papers  named  were  circulated  in  the 
army,  which,  had  they  been  published  within  the  army 
lines,  would  have  caused  the  arrest  of  the  editors  as 
traitors^  Like  all  pro-slavery  sheets  that  have  ever 
been  published  in  the  interest  of  human  oppression, 
the  papers  referred  to  were  full  of  unblushing  false- 
hoods, filthy  inuendoes  regarding  the  motives  of  the 
friends  of  freedom,  forged  correspondence  from  the 
army,  asserting  that  the  President's  Proclamation  of 
Emancipation  was  fiercely  denounced  by  the  soldiers; 
that  the  national  finances  were  in  a  ruinous  condition ; 
that,  instead  of  gold  and  silver  being  at  a  premium, 
as  many  people  supposed,  government  "greenbacks" 


228  LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY    LIFE. 

were,  in  reality,  at  a  discount,  and  so  on.  The  same 
papers,  also,  asserted  that  the  army  everywhere  was 
becoming  demoralized,  that  the  soldiers  would  not 
fight  in  such  an  Abolition  war,  and  that,  instead  of 
the  Emancipation  policy  being  received  with  favor,  it 
was  unsparingly  denounced  both  by  officers  and  men. 
It  was  added,  also,  that  the  families  of  soldiers  were 
neglected  by  those  who  had  pledged  to  see  their  wants 
supplied,  while  it  was  distinctly  affirmed  that  domestic 
ruin  had  already  overtaken  many  of  those  whose  pu- 
rity and  integrity  of  character  had  ever  been  above 
suspicion,  and  that  the  ruin  which  had  thus  been 
wrought  was  hardly  so  much  a  crime  as  a  misfortune, 
and  almost  a  necessity. 

A  private  letter  was  sent  to  the  regiment,  at  this 
time,  by  one  who  had  formerly  been  an  officer  in  the 
army,  which  expressed  great  regret,  on  the  part  of 
the  writer,  for  being  instrumental  in  recruiting  for  the 
army,  and  stating  that  he  would  be  exceedingly  glad 
could  he  only  get  out  of  the  clutches  of  Abolitionist- 
military  despotism  those  whom  he  had  induced  to  en- 
list. He  further  declared  that  the  people  at  home 
were  so  tired  of  the  war,  that  Indiana,  Illinois,  and 
New  York  were  about  to  recall  their  troops  then  in 
the  field;  that  the  National  treasury  was  so  depleted, 
that  if  the  troops  were  paid  off  for  the  few  months 
due  them,  it  would  be  the  last  they  would  ever  get, 
and  that  the  war  was  neither  for  the  Constitution  nor 
the  Union,  but  for  the  freeing  of  the  "  niggers."  The 
letter  closed  with  an  exhortation  to  all  who  "possibly 
could  to  desert  from  the  regiment  and  come  home,  as- 
suring them  that  ample  protection  would  be  afforded 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  229 

them  in  the  event  of  any  attempt  being  made  for  their 
arrest. 

So  much  for  efforts  in  the  rear  of  the  army. 

There  were  matters  intimately  connected  with  the 
army  itself,  also,  at  this  time,  that  had  a  tendency  to 
deepen  any  feeling  of  discouragement  that  might  re- 
sult from  such  treasonable  efforts.  Officers  decorated 
with  stars,  and  officers  of  lesser  note,  whose  ideas  of 
war  were  merely  professional,  instead  of  being  patri- 
otic, and  who  looked  to  no  results  but  such  only  as 
tended  to  individual  and  selfish  gratification,  played 
into  the  hands  of  home  traitors,  by  insinuating  that 
the  rebellion  would  never  be  subdued.  Officers  of 
various  grades — from  the  staff  down  to  company  com- 
manders— could  be  heard,  not  unfrequently,  repeating 
the  vile  epithets  of  the  Copperhead  press  against  the 
Administration,  and  even  insinuating  that  if  they  had 
known  that  the  war  would  have  been  conducted  to 
anti-slavery  issues  and  results,  they  would  have  drawn 
their  sword  in  defense  of  the  South.  Having  so  little 
sympathy  with  the  work  of  subduing  the  rebellion,  it 
is  not  a  matter  of  wonder  that  many  of  these  profes- 
sionally military  gentlemen  should  be  found  acting  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  discourage  or  irritate  those  placed 
under  their  command.  Not  a  few  of  them,  mere  fops 
in  blue  and  gold,  acted  as  all  such  are  apt  to  do,  played 
the  petty  tyrant  toward  their  subordinates,  and  the 
cringing,  cowardly  sycophant  toward  their  superiors. 

Some  of  them  vexed  and  annoyed  the  rank  and  file 
by  unnecessary  and  unreasonable  exactions,  while,  at 
the  same  time,  they  involved  company  and  regimental 
commanders  in  serious  misunderstanding  with  their 


230          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

commands.  The  policy  of  guarding  rebel  property, 
inaugurated  by  McClellan  in  the  East,  and  rigidly 
enforced  by  Buell  in  the  West,  had  by  no  means 
ceased  to  exist,  especially  in  isolated  commands.  In- 
stances were  too  well  known  of  sick  soldiers  being 
compelled  to  lie  on  the  ground,  without  even  straw 
under  them,  while  the  boards,  fences,  out-houses,  and 
barns  of  well-known  rebels  were  sacredly  guarded  by 
Federal  bayonets.  In  some  instances,  surgeons  were 
the  undesigning  causes  of  severe  complaints  against 
the  order  and  discipline  of  their  respective  regiments, 
because  they  appropriated  rebel  property  for  hospital 
purposes.  There  were  several  instances  of  regiments 
being  gravely  censured,  and  even  of  degrading  punish- 
ment being  inflicted,  because  rails  had  been  taken  from 
the  fences  to  keep  the  loose  corn-husks  under  the  sick 
and  dying  soldier!  Regimental  and  company  com- 
manders had  to  enforce  orders  that  could  not  possibly 
fail  to  irritate  and  exasperate  their  men ;  for  military 
orders  are  never  to  be  explained,  defended  or  excused, 
much  less  criticised,  by  subordinate  oificers,  but  simply 
enforced  by  them.  It  was  frequently  the  case,  there- 
fore, that  they  had  to  bear  that  odium  which  ought  to 
have  fallen  upon  others. 

Take  these  facts,  with  the  Copperhead  influences 
which  existed  at  home,  and  one  can  see,  at  a  glance, 
that  the  aspect  of  affairs  was  none  of  the  brightest 
at  the  time  referred  to.  And  yet  any  discontent 
or  discouragement  which  might  thus  have  been  in 
the  army  was  but  partial  and  momentary.  Like  the 
finely-tempered,  keen-edged  Damascus  blade,  that 
yields  to  the  test-pressure  only  to  spring  back  again 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          231 

with  a  ringing  twang  that  tells  its  strength,  and  which, 
perhaps,  pierces  the  hand  of  him  who  tampers  with 
it,  so  did  the  nohle  army  of  the  Union  when  tam- 
pered with  by  Copperhead  traitors.  If  it  did  bend  for 
an  instant,  under  such  untoward  circumstances,  it  was 
but  to  rebound  again,  with  such  a  startling  energy  and 
with  such  fierce  determination  as  rung  out  a  death- 
knell  for  armed  traitors  in  the  front,  derision  and  con- 
tempt for  meaner,  because  more  sneaking  and  cow- 
ardly, traitors  in  the  rear.  Generals  Grant,  Burnside, 
and  Rosecrans,  in  the  West,  and  Generals  Hooker  and 
Meade,  in  the  East,  soon  put  a  quietus  on  Copperhead 
intrigues  with  the  army ;  and,  by  a  wholesome  appli- 
cation of  purifying  measures  in  the  army,  backed  by 
the  resolute  and  unbending  integrity  and  lofty  patri- 
otism of  officers  and  men,  the  blade,  which  for  a  mo- 
ment had  been  severely  tried  and  tested,  sprung  again 
ready  for  action,  and  flashed  defiance  upon  all,  whether 
rebels  in  the  front  or  rebels  in  the  rear.  What  the 
feelings  and  determinations  of  the  soldiers  in  the  field 
were,  the  following  extracts  from  a  series  of  resolu- 
tions, adopted  while  at  Carthage,  by  the  Ohio  troops, 
will  abundantly  show: 

"  We,  the  officers  and  soldiers  of  General  Crook's 
Division,  comprising  the  Eleventh,  Thirty-sixth,  Eighty- 
ninth,  and  Ninety-second  Regiments  of  the  Ohio  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  being  all  the  Ohio  troops  in  his 
command,  having,  in  common  with  our  comrades  in 
arms,  cheerfully  periled  our  lives,  and  every  earthly 
interest,  to  secure  to  ourselves  and  to  our  posterity  a 
country  and  a  government — the  same  which  in  historic 
times  were  bought  with  blood,  and  established  by  that 


232  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

quality  of  wisdom  which,  though  human,  seems  di- 
vine ;  and,  whereas,  a  number  of  intriguing  demagogues 
at  home  have  recently^  by  word  and  act,  sought  to 
create  dissatisfaction  among  us,  block  the  wheels  of 
wise  legislation,  excite  discontent  in  the  public  mind, 
and  in  every  way  to  baffle  all  effort  to  conquer  the 
rebels ;  therefore, 

"Resolved,  That,  in  the  name  of  our  God,  we  will  still 
defend  our  flag,  and,  with  an  abiding  faith  in  the  just- 
ness of  our  cause,  we  will  still  go  forth  to  meet  the 
foe,  with  unshaken  confidence  that  He  who  led  our 
patriot  fathers  to  victory,  will  crown  our  arms  with 
success,  and  preserve  to  us  our  glorious  heritage  of 
'  civil  and  religious  liberty,'  and  preserve  it  for  our 
children  after  us,  until  Time's  latest  hour. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  hold  in  utter  detestation  that 
clique  of  miscreants  known  as  the  '  Vallandigham  De- 
mocracy,' or  'Anti-war  and  Pro-peace  Party,'  there- 
by disgracing  the  time-honored  name  of  Democrat — 
they  being,  in  our  opinion,  but  a  band  of  traitors 
and  national  assassins,  who  have  no  censure  lave  for 
the  officers  of  our  government  —  no  complaint  save 
that  energetic  measures  are  employed  to  crush  out  the 
rebellion — no  aspiration  save  to  embarrass  our  execu- 
tive and  legislative  departments,  and  engender  muti- 
nies in  our  armies — that  we  spurn,  with  unfeigned  con- 
tempt, the  shameful  lie,  circulated  by  them,  that  we 
are  tired  of  fighting,  and  willing  to  compromise  with 
the  Southern  hordes  now  in  arms  against  the  Union. 

"  Resolved,  That  we  look  with  satisfaction  and  pride 
upon  the  unalloyed  patriotism,  wisdom,  earnestness, 
and  moderation  of  our  Chief  Executive,  feeling  that 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   AKMY  LITE.  233 

we  have  in  him  a  man  of  unswerving  integrity ;  and 
we  also  approve  and  fully  indorse  all  the  acts  of  our 
late  Congress,  being  satisfied  the  grand  majority  of  its 
members  are  men  of  devotion  to  the  Union  and  purity 
of  purpose. 

"  Resolved,  That,  despite  the  frenzied  efforts  of  our 
foe  before  us,  and  the  despicable  intrigues  of  our  other 
foe  behind  us,  we  will  abate  not  one  jot  of  faith  or 
hope ;  but,  believing  that  the  maintenance  of  our  gov- 
ernment is  worth  all  the  cost  expended  in  its  estab- 
lishment, we  emphatically  assure  all  traitors  at  home, 
that  not  until  we  have  undergone  a  seven  years'  strug- 
gle, if  need  be,  will  we  cease  this  contest,  and  not  until 
we  have  experienced  such  suffering  as  was  endured  at 
Valley  Forge,  will  we  begin  to  murmur."  .... 

It  was  then  as  now,  in  this  year  of  grace  1865. 
The  friends  of  the  country,  the  friends  of  righteous- 
ness and  truth,  required  to  be  strengthened,  and  to-day 
the  struggle  is  by  no  means  doubtful.  It  will  be  seen 
in  this,  as  in  other  great  events  in  the  world's  history, 
that  God  will  defeat  all  the  plans  and  purposes  of  the 
wicked,  and  show  that  the  potsherds  of  earth  may 
strive  with  the  potsherds  of  earth;  but  "woe  be  to 
him  who  striveth  with  his  Maker ! "  Slavery,  the  sum 
of  all  villainies,  the  cause  of  this  wicked  rebellion,  the 
corner-stone  of  the  so-called  Confederate  Government, 
and  the  cause  of  all  the  misery  and  wretchedness  and 
bloodshed  arising  out  of  war,  is  doomed  to  die.  It 
must,  it  shall  perish !  And  in  its  final  and  complete 
overthrow,  God's  government  among  the  nations  shall 
be  vindicated,  his  benevolent  purposes  concerning 
the  children  of  men  more  fully  understood,  the  doc- 
20 


234          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

trine  of  Divine  Providence  more  devoutly  believed  in, 
the  day  of  Christ's  kingly  reign  upon  earth  hastened 
on  apace,  and  man's  temporal  and  spiritual  happiness 
increased.  This  is  a  transition  period  in  the  world's 
history.  Amid  political  convulsions,  civil  wars,  and 
general  upheavings  among  the  nations,  let  us  hold  with 
a  firm  grasp  the  promises  of  God ! 

As  a  fitting  conclusion  to  this  chapter,  the  following 
patriotic  lines,  written  by  an  eminent  statesman,  are 
here  inserted.  They  were  written  in  reply  to  a  ques- 
tion which  was  asked  by  a  lady,  Whether  he  was  for 
peace  ? 

AM  I  FOR  PEACE?    YES! 

For  the  peace  which  rings  out  from  the  cannon's  throat, 

And  the  suasion  of  shot  and  shell, 
Till  rebellion's  spirit  is  trampled  down 

To  the  depths  of  its  kindred  hell. 

For  the  peace  which  shall  follow  the  squadrons'  tramp, 

Where  the  brazen  trumpets  bray, 
And,  drunk  with  the  fury  of  storm  and  strife, 

The  blood-red  chargers  neigh. 

For  the  peace  which  shall  wash  out  the  leprous  stain 

Of  our  slavery,  foul  and  grim, 
And  shall  sunder  the  fetters  which  creak  and  clank 

On  the  down-trodden  dark  man's  limb. 

I  will  curse  him  as  traitor,  and  false  of  heart, 
Who  would  shrink  from  the  conflict  now, 

And  will  stamp  it,  with  blistering,  burning  brand, 
On  his  hideous,  Cain-like  brow. 

Out!  out  of  the  way!  with  your  spurious  peace, 
Which  would  make  us  rebellion's  slaves  1 

We  will  rescue  our  land  from  the  traitorous  grasp, 
Or  cover  it  over  with  graves. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  235 

Out!  out  of  the  way!  with  your  knavish  schemes, 

You  trembling  and  trading  pack! 
Crouch  away  in  the  dark,  like  a  sneaking  hound 

That  its  master  has  beaten  back. 

You  would  barter  th«  fruit  of  our  father's  blood, 

And  sell  out  the  Stripes  and  Stars, 
To  purchase  a  place  with  rebellion's  votes, 

Or  escape  from  rebellion's  scars. 

By  the  widow's  wail,  by  the  mother's  tears, 

By  the  orphans  who  cry  for  bread, 
By  our  sons  who  fell,  we  will  never  yield 

Till  rebellion's  soul  is  dead. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

A  KIDNAPPER  FRUSTRATED A  SURGEON'S   ANTI-SLAVEET  TALK A 

SHARP  TRICK;    REBELS  SOLD — SICKNESS  AND  MORTALITY — DEATH 
OF  A  CHRISTIAN  SOLDIER REV.  T.  SHAIN. 

IT  is  said  that  "murder  will  out."  So  will  nature. 
Former  habits,  still  loved  and  longed  for,  will  manifest 
themselves,  in  spite  of  all  assumed  traits,  which  are 
assumed  merely  because  they  are  popular,  remunera- 
tive, or  conducive  to  personal  safety.  An  unconverted, 
impenitent  slaveholder  or  slave-trader  can  no  more 
help  showing  his  mean,  treacherous,  man-stealing  pro- 
pensities than  the  feline  tribes,  however  tamed  and 
domesticated,  can  help  pouncing  on  their  prey.  He 
may  invest  himself  in  the  robes  of  loyalty;  he  may 
amass  wealth  from  the  profits  of  rich  government 
contracts ;  he  may  even  have  stars  on  his  shoulders, 
and  he  may  be  placed  in  confidential  and  important 
positions ;  but  the  unchanged  character  and  disposition, 
will  be  manifested,  and  the  insatiable  lust  for  power 
and  riches  will  devour  as  remorselessly  as  ever.  There 
were  polished  desperadoes  and  smooth-tongued  vil- 
lains hanging  around  the  army,  or,  in  one  way  or 
another,  connected  with  it,  not  a  few  of  whom  had 
figured  in  the  slave-markets  of  the  South,  and  their 
palms  still  itched  for  the  gains  of  the  vile  system. 
(236) 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  237 

When  about  to  leave  the  regiment  for  a  few  days, 
on  one  occasion,  I  charged  little  "Shady"  not  to 
straggle  away,  lest  he  might  be  picked  up,  at  the 
same  time  requesting  my  friend  Dr.  Hartman  to  see 
that  he  was  kept  out"  of  trouble.  When  the  troops 
debarked  on  the  Cumberland  River,  it  was  found  that 
Shady  had  been  sold  to  the  captain  of  the  temporary 
transport — or,  to  speak  more  correctly,  that  the  said 
captain  paid  a  heartless  fellow  twenty  dollars  to  keep 
the  friendless  boy  on  board,  so  he  might  get  him. 
When  the  hospital  corps  left  the  boat,  Shady  accom- 
panied them,  and  was  immediately  ordered  by  the 
captain,  who  was  on  the  hurricane-deck,  to  come  on 
board. 

"  What  do  you  want  him  on  board  for  ?  "  asked  one 
of  the  hospital  nurses,  whose  suspicions  had  been 
awakened  by  what  he  had  seen. 

"He  is  mine,"  replied  the  captain,  with  a  fearful 
oath.  "  Send  him  on  board  here,  instantly.  Come  on 
board,  darkey,  or  I  '11  kill  you ! " 

"You  stop  your  nonsense,"  replied  Jacob,  getting 
thoroughly  aroused,  "or  I'll  come  up  there  and 
squeeze  your  windpipe  for  you." 

"You  mind  your  own  business  and  put  off — that 
darkey  's  mine.  Come  on  board,  you  little  black  cuss 
you,  or  I'll  whale  you  to  death." 

The  whole  affair  beginning  to  assume  a  serious 
aspect,  Jacob  sent  for  the  surgeon,  Dr.  McCurdy,  to 
come  down.  In  a  very  short  time  he  made  his  ap- 
pearance, and  was  informed  at  once  of  what  had  taken 
place.  The  doctor  —  a  little,  wiry,  energetic  man, 
sharp  as  a  steel-trap  and  quick  as  a  hair-trigger,  and 


238          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE. 

as  generous  as  he  was  impulsive — ordered  Shady  up 
to  the  regiment,  which  was  the  signal  for  the  captain 
to  storm  and  swear  again.  But  he  had  met  his  match. 
The  boys  who  stood  by  say  the  doctor  opened  on  him 
such  a  torrent  of  invective,  and  heaped  upon  his  head 
such  maledictions,  half  religious  and  half  rather  other- 
wise, that  if  the  air  didn't  get  blue  and  sulphurous  it 
ought  to.  The  captain  seemed  as  if  in  a  tight  place ; 
for,  if  the  doctor  was  a  small  man,  he  had  a  big  soul 
in  him,  and  tongue  enough  for  a  preacher  and  lawyer 
combined.  However,  he  put  a  bold  face  on  the  whole 
matter,  and  demanded  again: 

"  Send  that  cussed  little  darkey  aboard,  or  I  '11  know 
the  reason  why!" 

"You  contemptible,  child-stealing  old  villain  you," 
said  the  doctor,  getting  the  steam  up  considerably 
above  common  high-pressure,  "if  you  don't  shut  up, 
I'll  have  the  regiment  marched  down,  and  blow  you 
and  your  confounded  old  boat  to  blue  blazes,  before 

you  have  time  to !     Come,  boys,  what's  the  use 

talking  to  such  a  miserable  excuse  for  a  man — con- 
found the  kidnapping  whelp ! " 

Perhaps  there  never  was  such  a  withering,  sarcastic 
anti-slavery  lecture  delivered  as  that  short  one  on  the 
bank  of  the  Cumberland  River — certainly  there  never 
had  been  such  another  heard  in  Tennessee. 

The  stay  of  the  division  at  Carthage  was  but  for  a 
short  time,  and  nothing  of  any  special  import  took 
place  while  there.  An  occasional  reconnoissance  on 
the  south  side  of  the  river,  toward  Alexandria  or  Mc- 
Minnville,  varied  the  routine  of  camp  life  somewhat, 
and  an  occasional  rumor  that  a  large  force  was  on  ita 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  239 

way  to  attack  the  post,  would  give  some  little  variety 
and  zest  to  camp  conversation. 

One  afternoon,  Colonel  Lane  took  the  Eleventh  out 
toward  Rome,  on  a  scouting  expedition.  The  inten- 
tion was  to  reach  a  certain  point  after  dark,  and  early 
in  the  morning  to  make  a  dash  on  a  rebel  force  re- 
ported to  be  in  that  vicinity.  The  regiment  reached 
the  point  indicated  about  ten  o'clock.  The  colonel 
was  not  satisfied  by  merely  fulfilling  the  letter  of  his 
instructions,  however;  but,  in  order  to  find  out  what 
was  going  on  in  the  neighborhood,  he  shortly  after  de- 
tailed several  scouting  parties,  who  were  to  move  cau- 
tiously and  secretly  in  various  directions.  One  of 
these,  under  command  of  Captain  Jordan,  made  a  de- 
scent on  a  happy  company  of  the  chivalry,  in  a  man- 
ner which  was  both  adroit  and  amusing.  The  captain, 
seeing  a  bright  light  in  a  house,  marched  his  party  to 
within  a  short  distance  of  it,  and,  leaving  them  in  a 
concealed  place,  with  instructions  to  be  on  the  alert, 
he  proceeded  by  himself  to  reconnoiter  the  position. 
On  approaching  the  house,  he  discovered  that  the  light 
was  from  a  blazing  fire,  showing  that  there  must  be 
some  people  there  who  were  trying  to  make  them- 
selves comfortable  at  that  late  hour.  Walking  boldly 
up  to  the  house,  but  keeping  away  from  the  glare  of 
light,  so  as  to  conceal  his  uniform,  he  accosted  a  Con- 
federate soldier,  who  at  that  moment  opened  the  door 
and  looked  out. 
,  "  Any  of  our  men  there  ?  "  asked  the  captain. 

"Wall,  yes." 

"Haven't  you  room  for  more  in  thar?"  said  the 
captain,  imitating  the  pronunciation  of  the  chivalry. 


240          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY    LIFE. 

"  Not  much — tho'  I  reckon  we  '11  make  room  for  an- 
other. Come  in  an'  get  warmed — you  must  be  a'most 
froze." 

"  How  many  of  ye 's  in  thar  ?  "  asked  Jordan. 

"Dunno — house  chuck-full — reckon  you'll  find  a 
corner,  tho'.  Come  in." 

"  Wait  till  I  go  to  the  fence  and  hitch  my  horse," 
said  the  captain.  "I'll  be  back  in  a  moment." 

The  captain  went,  and  did  hitch  his  horse;  at  the 
same  time  he  brought  up  his  men,  who  were  concealed 
within  a  few  rods  of  the  spot.  With  hardly  the  crack- 
ing of  a  twig,  it  was  not  three  minutes  till  trusty 
bayonets  were  closed  around  the  house,  and  Captain 
Jordan,  with  revolver  in  hand,  sprang  into  the  midst 
of  the  rebel  soldiers,  ordering  them,  in  a  voice  of 
thunder,  and  with  no  very  complimentary  terms  as  to 
themselves  or  antecedents,  to  surrender  instantly.  A 
rifle  or  two  were  raised  toward  him,  but,  as  if  for  pure 
mischief,  he  sneered  at  them — 

"  Git  eout !  Why,  I  ve  men  enough  to  chaw  ye  up, 
ye .  Surrender ! " 

A  file  of  blue-coated  boys,  with  rifles  in  hand, 
crowding  in  at  the  door,  and  the  decidedly  dangerous 
proximity  of  the  Union  bayonets,  had  a  very  persua- 
sive influence,  and  down  went  rebel  rifles  and  up  went 
rebel  hands  in  token  of  surrender. 

"  Purty  well  done,  cap'n,"  said  the  officer  in  charge 
of  the  picket-post,  as  this  turned  out  to  be. 

"Yes,"  said  Jordan,  "we  always  do  things  pretty 
well.  Fall  in  here !  and  keep  pretty  quiet,  if  you 
know  what's  good  for  you." 

If  Captain  Jordan's  squad  could  have  "  chawed  up  " 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE.  241 

the  rebel  gang,  their  numbers  assuredly  would  hardly 
have  guaranteed  such  work.  So  thought  the  rebels 
while  they  were  being  marched  off,  for  some  of  them 
could  not  help  mutteripg,  "  Sold  again ! " 

SICKNESS  AND  MORTALITY. 

The  sickness  and  mortality  among  the  troops  at 
Carthage  were  very  great.  The  Ninety-second  Ohio 
suffered  terribly;  and  it  seemed  as  if  nothing  but 
change  of  location  could  save  it  from  serious  deple- 
tion. Before  that  regiment  had  even  been  in  a  skirm- 
ish, it  had  lost  more  men,  by  disease  alone,  than  the 
Eleventh  had  during  the  time  that  had  elapsed  since  its 
organization.  At  one  time,  the  Eleventh  had  fully  one- 
sixth  of  its  entire  strength  reported  on  the  sick-list! 
The  Thirty-sixth  and  Eighty-ninth  suffered  also  very 
severely.  The  entire  division  was  suffering  for  want 
of  proper  diet,  and  it  seemed,  at  one  time,  that  unless 
those  in  authority,  especially  in  the  medical  depart- 
ments, did  not  take  more  interest  in  the  welfare  of  the 
men,  as  splendid  and  as  brave  an  army  as  ever  went 
forth  would  melt  away  through  sickness  and  death. 
Diarrhea,  of  a  most  obstinate  character,  and  very  fatal 
withal,  together  with  scurvy,  was  thinning  our  ranks, 
while  abundance  of  fruits  and  vegetables  could  be 
brought  by  railroad  to  within  thirty  miles  of  the  post ! 
"What  made  the  whole  matter  so  distressing,  was  the 
fact  that  deaths  were  invariably  sudden  and  unex- 
pected. And,  0,  it  was  a  very  mournful  sight  to  see 
one  funeral  escort  enter  the  graveyard  while  another 
was  performing  the  last  sad  rites  at  the  grave  of  some 
21 


242  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY   LIFE. 

other  comrade !  I  was  sometimes  so  overwhelmed 
with  sorrow  at  the  daily  scenes  of  weary  wasting 
away,  and  the  kind  of  calm,  despairing  resignation  to 
surrounding  circumstances,  on  the  part  of  the  sick, 
that  many  a  time,  when  I  returned  from  the  hospital 
or  graveyard,  I  could  not  refrain  from  tears.  For- 
give me,  dear  reader,  for  this  acknowledgment  of 
what  might  be  deemed  a  weakness;  perhaps  it  was 
weakness,  but  I  could  not  help  it.  A  chaplain  in  the 
army  hears  many  a  sad  and  weary  sigh  from  brave 
and  stricken  hearts,  and  listens  to  many  a  little  tale 
of  .silent,  weary,  wasting  grief,  and  he  has  to  comfort 
many  a  mourner,  and  place  himself  in  the  position 
and  speak  the  words  which  wife  or  mother  would  say 
if  near  the  sufferer.* 

Among  those  who  died  at  Carthage,  Tennessee,  and 
whose  dust  quietly  reposes  in  the  burial-ground  on 
the  beautiful  banks  of  the  Cumberland,  was  Sergeant 

*While  at  Carthage,  the  following-named  members  of  the  Eleventh 
Regiment  died,  and  were  buried  in  the  graveyard  there,  namely  : 

James  Melaney,  of  Company  D,  March  12. 

Perry  Carter,  of  Company  D,  April  19. 

Sergeant  J.  B.  Dixon,  Company  G,  April  12.  His  remains  were 
Bent  home. 

Jesse  Bartholomew,  Company  H,  April  22. 

Frederick  Lucke,  Company  B,  May  22. 

Charles  Segur,  Company  D,  May  18. 

George  Anderson,  Company  D,  May  29. 

Thomas  H.  Fill,  Company  I,  May  17. 

Renssellaor  Carson,  Company  K,  May  25. 

J.  F.  Colther,  Company  E,  June  3. 

E.  A.  Morrow,  Company  F,  June  2. 

J.  T.  Kemper,  Company  I,  June  5. 

Sergeant  T.  Shain,  Company  I,  June  22. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          243 

Sliain,  or,  as  he  was  known  at  home,  Rev.  Thomas 
Sham,  minister  of  the  United  Brethren  Church,  and 
pastor  of  a  congregation  in  Dayton  at  the  time  he 
entered  the  army.  I  desire  to  place  on  record  here 
a  tribute  of  more  than  common  respect  to  the  memory 
of  this  most  excellent  man. 

He  was  one  of  the  most  humble,  unassuming,  godly 
men  with  whom  I  was  ever  acquainted.  His  piety 
was  genial,  loving,  and  Christlike.  Many  an  hour 
he  spent  in  my  tent,  conversing  on  personal  piety 
and  the  work  of  God  in  the  army.  The  Thirty- 
sixth  Ohio  Regiment  had  no  chaplain,  and  many  a 
sermon  he  preached  and  many  a  prayer-meeting  he 
held  in  behalf  of  that  regiment.  Not  a  few  were  con- 
verted through  his  instrumentality,  and  claimed  him 
as  their  spiritual  father.  Good  brother  Shain!  How 
closely  he  walked  with  his  God!  With  what  child- 
like confidence  and  thrilling  earnestness  he  could  unite 
in  the  services  at  our  prayer  and  fellowship  meetings ! 
And  how  refreshing,  consequently,  were  his  Christian 
conversations!  With  Thomas  Fall,  his  friend  and 
comrade,  at  whose  grave  he  spoke  of  Christ  and  im- 
mortality, and  with  others  of  the  dear,  noble  men  of 
the  Eleventh,  Thirty-sixth,  Eighty-ninth,  and  Ninety- 
second,  he  sleeps  his  last  sleep,  far  from  kindred  dust. 
But  he  and  they  fill  honored  graves,  and  their  memory 
will  ever  be  green. 

And  speaking  of  the  graves  of  our  honored  dead — 
the  graves  of  our  patriot  soldiers — reminds  me  here 
of  the  fields  of  graves  at  Nashville  and  Murfreesbor' 
and  Chattanooga,  and  elsewhere — on  the  Potomac 
and  the  Mississippi,  amid  the  swamps  of  the  Chicka- 


244  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

hominy  and  the  bayous  and  the  swamps  of  the  far 
South.  I  used  to  look  with  sad  emotions  upon  many 
of  the  places  set  apart  for  burying  the  dead,  and  I 
used  to  wonder  whether  those  sad-looking,  desolate 
spots  would  ever  be  beautified,  and  their  mournful  yet 
sacred  associations  be  held  with  hallowed  remem- 
brances by  coming  generations?  Let  us  talk  a  little 
of  these  things,  dear  reader,  in  the  next  paragraph : 

f 
"  GOTTESACKER" — GOD'S  FIELD. 

That  is  a  happy  and,  withal,  a  poetic  idea,  ex- 
pressed by  the  Germans  in  their  own  "  Faderland," 
who,  when  speaking  of  the  graveyard,  call  it  "  God'a 
Acre,"  or  God's  Field.  However  thoughtlessly  it 
may  be  uttered,  like  many  other  precious  words  in 
this  busy,  thoughtless  world  of  ours,  and  however 
familiar  and  common-place  it  may  have  become,  it 
surely  must  have  originated  from  a  beautiful  and 
happy  view  of  death  and  the  grave,  based  upon  a 
loving  and  living  trust  in  Christ,  as  the  Resurrection 
and  the  Life.  GOD'S  ACRE — furrowed  all  over  with 
green  graves — receptacles  of  precious  seed  —  some 
smaller,  some  larger,  some  more  recently  formed,  and 
others  covered  with  green  sod  and  cypress  and  flow- 
ers, and  over  which  the  white  tombstones  stand  like 
the  labels  which  careful  florists  set  up  over  the  spot 
where  they  have  sown  the  seeds  of  favorite  flowers! 
GOD'S  ACRE — the  Lord's  garden,  where  precious  seeds 
of  humanity  have  been  sown  amid  the  blinding  tears 
of  sorrow  and  the  fitful  sunshine  of  hope,  and  where, 
perhaps,  angel  watchers  keep  holy  guard  over  that 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          245 

which  is  precious  in  the  sight  of  the  Lordf  GOD'S 
ACRE — where  restless,  worldly  man  sees  nc  beauty, 
and  from  which  he  turns  hastily  and  shudderingly 
away,  but  in  which,  perhaps,  for  aught  we  know,  are 
going  on  silent,  mysterious  forces,  which  for  long  ages 
have  been  working,  and  for  long  ages  will  continue  to 
work,  until  the  dawning  of  the  bright  and  glorious 
day  of  the  world's  eternal  Summer,  when  the  long- 
buried,  forgotten  seed,  sown  in  corruption  and  dis- 
honor and  weakness,  shall  bloom  forth  in  incorrup- 
tion  and  glory  and  power!  Yes,  let  us  call  the 
graveyard  a  garden !  Let  us  beautify  it  with  flowers 
and  evergreens,  which  will  be  frail  but  beautiful  em- 
blems .of  hope  concerning  those  over  whose  grave 
they  bloom,  and  fade,  and  die,  and  bloom  again !  Let 
us  listen  more  with  the  ear  of  the  soul  than  of  the 
body  to  the  plaintive  music  of  the  evening  breeze,  as  it 
sweeps  gently  amid  tombstones  and  trees  and  flowers, 
and  green,  grassy  mounds,  and  if  our  spirits  are  sad 
and  weary,  we  shall  hear,  as  if  it  were  the  melody  of 
some  far-distant  harp,  breathing  out  sweetly — 

"There  is  no  death!     What  seems  so  is  transition. 

This  life  of  mortal  breath 
Is  bat  the  suburb  of  the  life  elysian, 
Whose  portal  we  call  death." 

There  is  but  one  drawback  to  this  hopeful,  encourag- 
ing view  of  man's  last  resting-place,  and,  alas !  it  is  a 
sad  one.  Isot  all  who  die,  die  in  Christ.  Not  all  who 
sleep  in  God's  Acre  will  awake  and  come  forth  to  ever- 
lasting life.  Living,  God  was  not  in  all  their  thoughts ; 
they  desired  none  of  his  ways.  Dying,  they  flung 


246          LiaHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   AEMY  LIFE. 

from  them,  in  despair  or  impenitence,  the  last  offers 
of  pardon,  and  rejected  the  last  but  loving  invitations 
of  an  all-sufficient  Savior.  There  are  graveyards,  too, 
the  sight  of  which  awakens  in  our  hearts  only  the 
saddest  and  gloomiest  emotions.  Enter,  dear  reader, 
the  quiet,  peaceful  graveyard  near  your  own  village, 
and  which,  perhaps,  to-day  seems  so  beautiful  with  its  ' 
green  covering  of  grass,  and  tufts  of  flowers,  and 
snowy  tombstones,  and  where,  perhaps,  you  have  laid 
your  own  heart's  treasures,  and  where,  too,  it  may 
be,  you  often  go  to  meditate  and  to  water  some  lit- 
tle grave  with  your  tears.  Enter  that  quiet  resting- 
place  of  the  dead,  and  call  it  GOD'S  ACRE,  and  speak 
of  it,  too,  as  beautiful,  hopeful,  peaceful,  and  bear 
away  with  you  soothing  reflections  and  hopeful  mem- 
ories !  But  come,  now,  with  me,  and  walk  amid  the 
thousands  of  fresh  graves,  in  those  portions  of  our 
land,  to-day,  where  the  fierce  storm  of  war  has  been 
roaring  and  raging;  and  if  your  soul  is  not  stirred  to 
its  deepest  depths,  it  is  because  you  can  not  see,  or, 
seeing,  you  can  not  feel.  Imagine  yourself  at  any 
one  of  the  military  burying-places.  Just  look  upon 
this  field,  for  example,  several  acres  in  extent,  with- 
out flower  or  shrub,  or  one  green  blade  to  relieve  the 
eye,  but  bare  and  brown,  and  all  cast  up  into  thousands 
of  little  ridges,  each  one  marked  off  with  mathematical 
precision,  and  all  so  close  together  you  can  scarcely 
put  your  foot  down  between  them ;  and  remember 
that  this  bare,  brown  field  has  been  furrowed  by  the 
grave-digger's  mattock  and  spade,  that  each  little 
ridge  is  itself  a  grave,  where  some  loved  one  sleeps 
his  last  sleep,  far  from  home  and  kindred  dust !  Re- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE.  247 

member,  too,  that,  in  this  doleful  inclosure,  so  sadden- 
ing to  look  upon,  the  dead  are  crowded  so  closely,  but 
so  regularly  together,  that  it  seems  like  a  field  just 
planted,  and  that  the  headboards  are  only  so  many 
labels,  to  tell  the  names  of  the  seed  sown!  ALAS!  THE 
FIELD  is  SOWN  WITH  HUMANITY!  Tell  me  now,  dear 
reader,  whether  it  does  not  cause  your  heart  to  thrill 
with  strangely  solemn  and  saddened  emotions?  How 
many  hearts  are  wrung  with  anguish  to-day,  because 
of  these  fields  of  graves!  How  many  once  happy 
homes  are  desolate  to-day,  because  these,  at  present, 
dreary,  repulsive  fields  are  crowded  with  stranger 
dead!  How  long,  0,  how  long,  do  you  ask,  is  this 
carnival  of  death  to  continue?  And  do  you  pray, 
in  agony,  "  Come,  blessed  Jesus !  come  and  speak  into 
calmness  and  rest  the  dark  and  heaving  waves  of  human 
passion,  which  surge  to  and  fro  in  our  land,  and  which 
threaten  to  swallow  up  all  that  is  dear  to  man  and 
precious  to  thyself?" 

Fear  not,  dear  reader,  although  your  own  heart  may 
be  stricken,  because  your  noble  son  or  brother  or  hus- 
band is  sleeping  his  last  sleep  far  from  you,  and 
because  his  life's  blood  crimsoned  the  dark  land  of 
slavery.  The  sacrifice  has  not,  will  not  be  in  vain ! 
the  country  will  be  sanctified  by  the  fearful  baptism  of 
blood  now  upon  us ;  the  hideous  institutions  of  wrong  be 
forever  swept  away,  and  the  glories  of  the  millennial 
day  hastened  on  apace.  Our  God  is  a  wonder-working 
God.  He  has  his  own  gracious  plans  and  purposes, 
and  however  mysterious  they  may  seem  to  frail  man, 
they  will  all  be  unfolded  for  the  wonder  and  admira- 
tion of  all  created  intelligences  in  time  and  in  eternity. 


248  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   AKMY   LIFE. 

How  WILL  POSTERITY  LOOK  UPON  THOSE  MILITAHT 
BURIAL-PLACES  ? 

There  is  another  and  brighter  view  to  be  taken  of 
this  otherwise  dark  and  terrible  scene.  Those  graves — 
the  sight  of  which,  so  numerous,  and  looking  so  for- 
saken and  desolate,  have  often'  awakened  in  my  heart 
painfully  sad  emotions — are,  nevertheless,  THE  GRAVES 

OF  HEROES — THE  RESTING-PLACES  OF  FREEDOM'S  NO- 
BLE DEFENDERS!  And,  in  the  brighter  and  better 
days  yet  to  come — for  come  they  will — every  one  of 
these  fields  of  graves,  so  sad  and  solemn  and  for- 
saken now,  so  brown  and  bare,  like  some  deserted 
"  Potter's  Field,"  will  be  a  Necropolis — a  city  of  buried 
heroes.  They  will  be  adorned  with  the  richest  treas- 
ures of  art,  and  the  more  beautiful  but  less  imposing 
ornaments  of  nature.  Coming  generations  will  hold 
as  sacred  trusts  these  halls  of  death,  where  a  nation's 
heroes  are  sleeping ;  and  they  will  tell  to  their  children, 
and  children's  children,  the  story  of  Freedom's  struggle 
with  Oppression,  and  how  that,  in  the  final  victory,  not 
only  America,  but  the  shores  of  every  continent  and 
island  of  earth,  were  blessed  with  the  advancing  tide- 
wave  of  love  and  liberty. 

"We  never  can  be  deathless  till  we  die. 
It  is  the  dead  win  battles.     And  the  breath 
Of  those  who  through  the  world  drive  like  a  wedge, 
Tearing  earth's  empires  up,  nears  Death  so  close 
It  dims  his  well-worn  scythe.     But  no  !  the  brave 
Die  never.     Being  deathless,  they  but  change 
Their  country's  arms  for  more — their  country's  heart. 
Give,  then,  the  dead  their  due  ;  it  is  they  who  saved  us." 


CHAPTER   XX. 

IF  God  hath  made  this  world  so  fair 

Where  sin  and  death  abound, 
How  beautiful  beyond  compare 

Will  Paradise  be  found  1 

MONTGOMERY. 

"WiLL  you  give  us  that  sermon  which  you  said  was 
preached  to  you  and  your  regiment,  by  some  falling 
waters,  once,  when  on  a  march?"  asked  a  friend,  who 
knew  that  these  "  Lights  and  Shadows  of  Army  Life  " 
were  being  put  into  book  form. 

I  came  pretty  near  saying  "  No  ! "  People  do  n't 
like  sermons  in  army  books.  It  wasn't  a  sermon,  at 
all,  dear  reader ;  it  was  only  a  beautiful  picture  of  Na- 
ture's own  drawing,  and  I  just  spoke  a  little  about  it — 
that  was  all.  But  would  you  like  to  hear  about  the 
picture?  Very  well.  I  will  give  it  to  you,  roughly 
drawn,  it  may  be. 

Let  me  tell  you  how  the  picture  was  seen.  It  was 
on  this  wise.  The  column  had  been  marching  from 
early  morn,  along  dusty  roads  and  literally  in  a  dry 
and  thirsty  land,  where  there  was  no  water.  It  was 
now  a  little  past  the  hour  of  noon,  and  the  blazing 
sun  shone  out  fiercely  in  a  cloudless  sky.  Many  a 
strong-hearted  soldier  had  fainted  by  the  wayside— 

(249) 


250  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY   LIFE. 

for  his  canteen  was  empty,  his  lips  were  dry  and 
parched,  and  he  was  foot-sore  and  weary.  "  Water ! 
water ! "  was  the  great  cry.  "  Water !  any  thing  for 
water,  and  some  shady  place  in  which  to  rest ! "  More 
and  more  intensely  did  the  sun  shine  out  from  the 
brazen  sky,  while  the  earth  seemed  to  glow  like  a  fur- 
nace. The  dry,  hot  dust,  flung  up  by  thousands  of 
feet,  irritated  the  throat  and  lungs,  at  the  same  time 
increasing  the  intolerable  thirst  under  which  all  were 
suffering.  Onward  and  still  onward  pressed  the  men, 
wearily  and  in  pain,  while  the  dust,  increasing  in  heat 
and  quantity,  threatened  to  suffocate  them  at  every 
step.  Not  a  breath  of  air  seemed  to  be  stirring.  The 
very  leaves  on  the  low  shrubs,  and  the  grass  by  the 
wayside  seemed  to  partake  of  the  general  depression 
and  suffering,  and  looked  drooping  and  dying.  Thus, 
mile  after  mile  of  the  weary  way  was  traversed,  and 
hour  succeeded  hour,  as  if  each  one  was  an  age,  and 
impressions  of  suffering  and  Utter  exhaustion  were 
made  so  deeply  on  the  minds  of  all,  that  time  will 
never  efface  them.  Suddenly  we  entered  a  narrow 
defile,  through  which  the  road  wound,  and,  as  if  by 
magic,  or  like  the  creations  of  some  fairy  tale,  a  cool 
and  fragrant  breeze  began  to  fan  our  cheeks. 

Presently  the  bugle,  at  the  head  of  the  column, 
sounded  the  welcome  "  Halt ! "  followed  immediately 
by  the  still  more  welcome  "  Rest ! "  On  riding  for- 
ward a  few  paces,  to  where  there  was  a  general  and 
frantic  rush,  I  beheld  a  scene  of  such  beauty  and  in- 
terest that  I  will  nerer  forget  it  till  my  dying  day. 
We  had  entered  a  somewhat  rocky  pass,  or  gap,  shaded 
on  one  side  by  hemlocks  and  cedars,  "  arrayed,"  liter- 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  251 

ally,  "in  living  green."  On  the  left  was  a  cool,  aiady 
glen,  or  grotto,  scooped  out  deep  in  the  mountain- 
side— semicircular  in  form,  or  shaped  some  vhat  like 
a  horseshoe.  The  face  of  this  grotto,  core  posed  of 
solid  rock,  rose  like  a  massive  wall  sixty  or  eighty  feet 
high,  and  terminated  in  an  evergreen  crown  of  cedars 
and  hemlocks.  The  wall  itself  was  literally  covered 
from  base  to  summit  with  moss  and  flowers  and  ever- 
greens, among  which  bloomed,  in  rich  profusion,  the 
beautiful  wild  honeysuckle,  which  hung  in  gay  festoons 
from  every  crag  and  crevice.  This  was  a  grotto  which 
the  hand  of  man  had  never  made,  and  these  were  flow- 
ers and  shrubs  which  he  had  never  planted.  Ages 
ago,  God  himself  had  scooped  it  out  of  the  solid  rock, 
and  clothed  its  granite  walls  with  fragrant  flowers, 
which  bloomed  and  faded,  and  bloomed  again,  as  suc- 
cessive seasons  rolled  on,  long  before  the  foot  of  man 
had  disturbed  its  quiet  solitudes.  But  there  were 
other  charms,  and,  if  possible,  richer  beauties  still. 
At  the  further  end  of  this  lovely  scene,  and  from  an 
elevation  of  perhaps  thirty  or  forty  feet,  there  issued 
a  stream  of  cool,  pure  water,  clear  as  crystal.  As  it 
descended  from  "the  cleft  of  the  rock,"  which  was 
nearly  concealed  by  the  overhanging  flowers  and 
shrubs,  it  divided  into  a  number  of  little  rivulets, 
which,  in  contrast  with  the  green  foliage  around, 
looked  like  so  many  rills  of  liquid  silver.  At  each 
one  of  these  silvery  "shady  rills"  stood,  or  kneeled, 
or  lay  groups  of  weary,  thirsty  soldiers,  eagerly 
quaffing  the  precious  beverage,  as  if  determined  never 
to  be  thirsty  again. 

A.  murmur  of  intense  satisfaction  and  delight  was 


252  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFJ 

heard  on  every  side.  It  seemed  as  if  all  felt  that 
that  sublimely  beautiful  scene  had  in  it  more  of 
heaven  than  earth ;  and  so  strong,  S'  emingly,  were 
the  feelings  awakened  in  each  bosom,  that  a  kind  of 
holy  awe,  a  subdued,  sacred  admira'ion,  filled  each 
heart.  0,  how  welcome  to  those  e  -nausted,  thirsty 
men  was  that  "  shadow  of  a  great  rock  in  a  weary 
land!"  How  refreshing  those  cool  and  sparkling 
waters,  which  gushed  forth  so  full,  free,  and  abundant 
from  that  flower-festooned  rock !  And  how  impressive 
the  scene,  too,  when  those  exhausted,  thirsty  soldiers 
reached  forth  with  such  feverish  eagerness  to  drink, 
and  drink,  and  drink  again !  How  they  bathed  their 
hot,  fevered  brows,  or  stooped  under  the  shelving 
rocks,  and  allowed  the  cooling  waters  to  fall  upon 
them!  How  it  seemed  as  if  every  leaf  and  spray 
and  flower  were  in  sympathy  with  the  gladsome  scene, 
while  the  dancing  sunbeams  looked  like  rays  of  glory 
streaming  down  through  the  leafy  openings  above,  and 
the  songs  of  the  birds,  far  away  in  the  cool  green- 
wood, seemed  to  be  the  sweet  melodies  of  the  better 
land ! 

And  as  I  looked  up  an  that  scene  of  thrilling  inter- 
est, I  thought  of  tha ,  loving  ONE  who,  a  weary  and 
thirsty  -traveler,  once  sat,  at  the  noontide  hour,  by  the 
well  of  Jacob,  and  a  iked  drink  of  a  woman  of  Sama- 
ria. And  it  seeme  as  if  he  might  almost  be  seen 
again,  standing  ir  the  midst  of  those  groups  of 
thirsty  men,  with  pity  in  every  look  and  love  in 
every  word,  sayi?  g,  with  compassionate  tenderness 
and  entreaty,  "  "W  iosoever  drinketh  of  this  water  shall 
thirst  again;  but  Ahosoever  drinketh  of  the  water  that 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  253 

I  shall  give  him,  shall  never  thirst;  but  the  water  that 
I  shall  give  him  shall  be  in  him  a  well  of  water 
springing  up  into  everlasting  life."  And  it  seemed, 
also,  as  if  that  scene  of  intense  interest  could  be  more 
fully  understood,  where  it  is  said  that,  to  the  multi- 
tudes who  hovered  near  him  on  the  last  great  day  of 
the  feast,  Jesus  cried,  so  earnestly  and  so  lovingly, 
"  If  any  man  thirst,  let  him  come  unto  me  and  drink." 
I  thought,  too,  of  the  fullness  and  freeness  of  the 
living  streams  of  salvation  which  flow  from  the  great 
fountain  of  life  and  love,  to  which  weary  man  may  go 
and  drink,  and  live  forever.  And  I  felt  that  man, 
though  a  stricken,  sin-burdened  sinner,  groaning  in 
the  bitterness  of  helpless  misery,  estranged  from 
God  and  heaven,  traveling,  a  weary  pilgrim,  on  life's 
high-way,  and  suffering  from  that  soul-thirst  which 
no  earthly  streams  can  ever  quench,  had  not  been 
abandoned  by  God,  nor  given  over  to  hopeless  de- 
spair. Ntf!  no!  That  very  scene  before  me — that 
flower-festooned  rock,  from  which  gushed  forth  so 
plentifully  those  cool,  refreshing  waters — those  groups 
of  exhausted  men,  reaching  forth  so  eagerly  to  drink 
and  quench  their  burning  thirst — all  seemed  to  speak 
of  the  glorious  plan  of  God,  whereby  the  healing 
streams  of  salvation  had  been  opened  up  in  the 
moral  desert,  and  of  which  all  were  invited  to  drink, 
without  money  and  without  price.  Thank  God !  the 
Savior  has  come  into  the  world  and  suffered  and  died, 
that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  might  not  perish,  but 
have  everlasting  life !  He  is  the  hiding-place  from  the 
storm,  a  covert  from  the  heat,  and  as  the  shadow  of 
a  great  rock  in  a  weary  land!  He  is  the  sinner's 


254  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LITE. 

Friend,  the  soul's  Physician,  the  sin-atoning  Lamb 
of  God,  from  whose  wounded  side  flow  those  healing 
streams  that  have  washed  and  purified  and  saved  a 
countless  multitude  in  earth  and  heaven !  And  just 
as  those  refreshing  waters  which  flowed  forth  so  freely 
in  that  beautiful  flowery  recess,  and  of  which  the 
thirsty  soldiers  drank  so  eagerly  and  gladly,  were  free 
for  all — just  as  every  flower  and  leaf  and  spray,  and 
dancing  sunbeam  and  crystal  stream,  which  made  up 
the  beauty  and  gladness  of  this  precious  scene,  seemed 
to  say,  "Drink,  ye  weary, thirsty  ones !  Drink  freely! 
Drink  abundantly !  Drink,  one  and  all !  Drink  with- 
out limit  and  without  fear !  Drink,  for  all  are  wel- 
come ! " — so,  in  like  manner,  the  waters  of  salvation 
are  free  for  all;  and  the  great  work  of  the  Spirit  and 
the  Bride  is  to  say  to  every  sinner,  "  Whosoever  will, 
let  him  take  the  water  of  life  freely !  "  But,  alas ! 
alas !  just  as  any  of  those  soldiers  might  have  framed 
excuses,  found  fault,  procrastinated,  or  refused  to 
drink  of  the  cool  and  abundant  streams  before  them, 
and  thereby  suffered  pain,  and  perhaps  death,  in  like 
manner  do  many  sinners,  in  their  madness  and  folly, 
refuse  to  drink  of  the  waters  of  salvation — die  in 
their  sins,  and  perish  forever,  while  the  gurglings  of 
the  healing  streams  are  sounding  in  their  ears ! 

I  thought,  again,  that  this  was  no  temporary  fount- 
ain to  which  these  men  had  come — that  those  were 
no  transient  waters  of  which  they  drank,  and  which 
gushed  forth  in  such  strength  and  fullness.  Their 
source  was  deep  in  the  heart  of  the  mountain — so 
deep  that  it  would  never  be  dried  by  summer's  hottest 
sun,  nor  frozen  by  winter's  coldest  blast.  Flowing  on, 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          255 

flowing  ever,  by  night  and  by  day,  through  summei 
and  winter,  in  sunshine  and  storm — 0,  what  a  type 
of  God's  unchanging  love !  Earthly  friends  change, 
and  the  happiest  homes  change,  and  the  scenes  of  our 
mortal  life  change,  till  our  eyes  are  dim  with  tears, 
and  our  hearts  are  crushed  with  sorrow;  but,  0,  the 
warm  sympathies  and  the  outgushing  love  of  the  In- 
finite Father  are  ever  full,  ever  free,  and  ever  con- 
stant! "I,  the  Lord,  change  not."  "For  the  mount- 
ains shall  depart,  and  the  hills  be  removed;  but  my 
kindness  shall  not  depart  from  thee,  neither  shall  the 
covenant  of  my  peace  be  removed,  saith  the  Lord  that 
hath  mercy  on  thee." 

Such,  in  brief,  were  some  of  the  reflections  sug- 
gested by  the  beautiful  and  impressive  scene  described. 
I  thought,  too,  of  the  happy  time,  when,  in  the  radiant 
home  on  high,  God  would  wipe  away  the  tears  from  all 
faces,  and  crown  his  redeemed  ones  with  crowns  of 
dazzling  splendor,  and  array  them  in  garments  of  un- 
fading beauty.  I  thought,  also,  how  that  the  blessed 
Savior,  once  "A  poor,  wayfaring  man  of  grief,"  ask- 
ing a  cup  of  water  at  the  well  of  Jacob,  would  lead 
forth  his  white-robed  followers,  amid  the  immortal 
splendors  of  that  heavenly  country  to  where  the  fount- 
ains of  glory  play  perpetually,  and  the  streams  of  joy 
flow  on  forever.  And  as  I  stooped  and  bathed  my 
own  fevered  brow,  I  could  not  refrain  from  praying 
that  every  one  there  might  be  refreshed  with  living 
waters,  and  that  when  the  great  work  and  conflict  of 
life  were  ended,  we  might  at  last  all  drink  of  the 
streams  of  joy  in  the  home  of  God. 

After  a  brief  rest — very  brief  it  seemed — the  bugle 


256          LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

sounded — "Forward!"  and  again  the  column  was  in 
motion.  While  we  halted,  the  booming  of  cannon  and 
the  sharp  rattle  of  musketry  were  heard  on  our  right, 
which  told  us,  in  unmistakable  language,  that  the  battle 
had  been  renewed.  It  was  not  till  evening  had  set  in 
that  we  reached  the  scene  of  action — merely  a  skirm- 
ish— and  in  the  mean  time  the  enemy  had  been  driven 
back.  We  lay  down  and  slept  soundly  on  that  ground 
on  which,  a  few  hours  before,  the  tide  of  battle  had 
surged  to  and  fro. 

Such  is  life  in  the  army.  Such,  indeed,  is  the  life 
of  man  upon  earth.  Happy  he  who  has  the  hope  that 
when  he  sleeps  his  last  sleep,  having  fought  his  last 
battle,  it  will  be  to  awaken  in  that  land  where  the 
sword  of  the  spiritual  conflict  will  be  exchanged  for 
the  palm  of  victory,  and  the  helmet  of  salvation  will 
be  exchanged  for  the  crown  of  glory. 


CHAPTER   XXI. 

HOOVER'S  GAP  —  TCLLAHOMA —  WATER-CURE  —  WILL  IT  DO  IN  TH» 
AKMT A  GREAT  CHAPLAIN. 

FORWARD — HOOVER'S  GAP. 

SHORTLY  after  three  o'clock,  on  the  morning  v»r  the 
24th  of  June,  hundreds  of  bugles  sounded  out  far  and 
near,  through  woods  and  valleys,  and  over  hill  and 
dale,  on  the  east  and  west  and  north  and  south  of 
Murfreesboro,  the  sweet  but  not  always  welcome  notes 
of  reveille.  It  was  a  dull,  cloudy  morning — the  sky, 
seemingly,  all  the  more  dusky  and  somber  from  the 
reflected  glare  of  a  thousand  camp-fires.  Toward  five 
o'clock,  the  scenes  that  everywhere  met  the  eye,  and 
the  sounds  that  everywhere  fell  upon  the  ear,  were  of 
the  most  intensely  interesting  and  thrilling  character. 
Dense,  moving  columns  on  every  road,  bristling  bay- 
onets gleaming  everywhere,  gay  battle-flags  streaming 
out  on  the  morning  breeze,  or  glancing  amid  the  green 
foliage,  as  regiment  after  regiment  deployed  on  the 
various  roads — staff  officers  and  orderlies  galloping 
here  and  there — the  sharp  rattle  of  drums  and  the 
shrill  sounds  of  the  fife,  the  confused  clangor  of  count- 
less bugles,  and  the  softer,  sweeter,  but  no  less  con- 
fused notes  of  brigade  bands  beating  off  at  the  heads 
22  (257) 


258          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

of  the  various  columns — made  both  scenes  and  sounds 
not  soon  to  be  forgotten.  This  was  the  first  move  in 
the  great  campaign  that  drove  Bragg  out  of  Tennes- 
see, in  1863,  and,  for  the  time  being,  was  the  poetry 
of  war,  soon  to  be  followed  by  war's  stern  realities. 

By  five  o'clock,  Thomas's  corps,  occupying  the  cen- 
ter, was  in  motion,  moving  on  the  Manchester  road. 
General  Wilder's  brigade  of  Reynolds's  division,  con- 
sisting of  mounted  infantry,  armed  with  Spencer  rifles, 
was  in  the  advance,  followed  closely  by  Crook's  bri- 
gade and  the  rest  of  the  division.  General  McCook 
moved  on  the  right  by  the  Shelbyville  road,  his  part 
of  the  work  being  a  feint  on  Bragg' s  left,  while  the 
great  work  was  really  to  be  done  by  the  forces  mov- 
ing against  his  left  and  center.  By  nine  o'clock,  the 
rain,  began  to  fall,  and  a  regular  storm  set  in,  notwith- 
standing which  the  troops  pushed  on  with  great  rapid- 
ity. General  Wilder  drove  in  the  rebel  pickets  near 
Hoover's  Gap,  and  pushed  on,  with  daring  energy  and 
skill,  so  as  to  take  the  gap — a  position  very  strong  in 
itself,  and  rendered  still  more  so  by  works  command- 
ing the  approaches.  In  thus  pushing  on  with  such 
rapidity  and  dash',  and  securing  the  works  before  the 
enemy,  seemingly,  was  aware  of  any  movement,  not 
only  did  Wilder  gain  an  important  point,  but,  as  was 
acknowledged  by  all,  thousands  of  lives  were  saved. 
He  pushed  forward  so  as  to  gain  the  southern  ex- 
tremity of  the  gap ;  but  the  enemy  fought  desperately, 
and,  but  for  the  deadly  Spencer  in  the  hands  of  his 
well-tried  troops,  he  might  have  been  seriously  worsted 
before  the  infantry  got  up.  The  fighting  for  the  pos- 
session of  the  gap  was  very  stubborn,  but  gradually 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  259 

the  rebels  were  driven  back,  with  considerable  loss. 
In  the  mean  time  communication  had  been  opened 
with  McCook,  on  the  right,  who  was  reported  as  in 
possession  of  Shelbyvijle. 

Rain  was  falling  heavily  and  darkness  had  set  in, 
but  still  desultory  firing,  both  of  musketry  and  artil- 
lery, was  kept  up  till  eight  or  nine  o'clock.  Between 
sixty  and  seventy  of  the  division  were  killed  and 
wounded — nearly  all  belonging  to  Wilder's  command. 
A  log-house  on  the  right  of  the  road  was  selected  as 
field  hospital,  and,  shortly  after  dark,  several  tents  were 
put  up,  and  the  wounded  cared  for  as  well  as  possible. 
The  arrangements  for  so  doing  were  most  admirable. 
Several  hospital  wagons  were  driven  up,  and  the  good 
things  furnished  both  by  the  Government  and  the  San- 
itary Commission  were  quickly  in  use  for  the  comfort 
and  relief  of  the  wounded.  The  rebels  had  suffered 
considerably,  and,  as  they  were  steadily  pushed  back, 
the  greater  part  of  their  wounded  fell  into  our  hands. 
During  that  afternoon  and  night,  and  the  following  day, 
the  field  hospital,  established  at  the  point  indicated, 
was  soon  full.  Those,  however,  who  were  able  to  be 
removed,  were  sent  back  to  Murfreesboro,  thus  giving 
greater  facilities  for  the  care  of  those  still  on  the  field, 
and  insuring  more  comfort  to  those  removed.  And 
just  at  this  point,  let  it  be  stated,  that  not  very  often 
are  matters  more  forbidding,  disagreeable,  and  in  every 
way  discouraging  for  the  wounded,  than  they  were  at 
Hoover's  Gap  for  the  two  or  three  days  it  was  held  by 
our  advance.  The  rain  fell  incessantly,  night  and 
day.  Every  one  was  soaked  through,  and  covered  with 
mud,  and  all  around  the  various  field  hospitals  every 


260  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF    ARMY   LIFE. 

thing  was,  to  a  mere  beholder,  of  the  most  dreary  and 
forbidding  aspect.  But — and  to  their  praise  be  it 
Bpoken — the  surgeons  of  the  division  worked  like  men 
in  earnest.  It  would  be  invidious  to  mention  names 
where  all  did  so  well,  and  those  who  might  be  most 
deserving  would  much  rather  let  their  deeds  praise 
them,  than  any  mere  record,  either  official  or  other- 
wise. But  let  this  much  be  said,  that  this  first  step 
of  the  great  campaign  of  1863,  in  Tennessee  and 
Georgia,  augured  well  for  the  comfort  and  care  of  the 
patriot  soldier. 

At  the  request  of  the  medical  director  I  attended  to 
getting  food  for  the  wounded,  and  hence  had  oppor- 
tunities of  seeing  how  matters  were  conducted,  and 
can,  therefore,  here  and  now  give  my  cheerful  testi- 
mony to  the  kindness,  promptness,  and  efficiency  of 
the  medical  staff. 

The  skirmishing  was  kept  up  briskly  next  day,  the 
design  being,  apparently,  not  to  drive  the  enemy  too 
fast,  nor  to  show  a  very  heavy  force  just  at  this  point. 
McCook  on  the  right,  however,  was  driving  heavily, 
and  the  booming  of  his  guns  told  that  he  was  fighting 
in  earnest.  The  struggle  was  for  the  possession  of 
Liberty  Gap,  which  was  finally  gained,  and  this,  with 
the  possession  of  Hoover's  Gap  in  the  center,  gave 
Rosecrans  the  command  of  the  position,  and  Bragg 
was  compelled  to  fall  back.  It  was  reported  that  the 
mass  of  the  rebel  army  was  in  and  about  Tullahoma, 
which  had  been  strongly  fortified.  Rebel  papers  as- 
serted that  Rosecrans  would  come  to  grief  the  moment 
he  moved  from  his  intrenchments  at  MurfreesborOj 
and  attempted  to  touch  the  intrenched  position  of 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          261 

Bragg.  But,  as  Rosecrans  moved  rapidly  down  by 
the  gaps  named,  upon  Manchester  and  Winchester,  he 
flanked  Bragg  at  Tullahoma.  This  was  effectually 
done  on  the  27th  by  Reynolds's  division  taking  pos- 
session of  Manchester,  Crook's  brigade  entering  that 
place  about  ten  o'clock,  and  bivouacking  on  the  south- 
west of  the  town.  A  general  halt  was  made  here,  the 
troops  resting  during  Saturday  and  Sabbath. 

Early  on  Monday  morning,  the  army  was  again  in 
motion,  moving  forward  as  rapidly  as  the  incessant 
rain  and  the  miry  roads  would  permit.  And  it  did 
rain,  too,  as  if  another  deluge  were  about  to  come  on 
this  part  of  the  earth.  Night  and  day  it  was  either 
a  drizzling,  misty  shower  for  an  hour  or  two,  or  a 
genuine  thunder-storm;  and  it  was  hard  to  tell, 
sometimes,  whether  the  rumbling  noises  which  ac- 
companied the  heavier  rains  were  the  artillery  of 
earth  or  heaven,  for  sometimes  both  were  at  work 
simultaneously.  Soaked  with  the  continual  rain,  and 
covered  with  mud  from  head  to  heels,  there  was  de- 
cidedly more  of  the  practical  than  the  poetical  seen 
among  the  columns  as  they  pushed  wearily  but  cheer- 
fully along  —  some  of  the  more  light-hearted  and 
waggish  of  the  men  cracking  jokes  at  the  general 
appearance  of  each  other.  One  day,  and  nearly  the 
whole  of  one  night,  however,  there  were  precious 
few  jokes.  Waggish  remarks  were  voted  a  nuisance. 
Jokers  themselves  were  silent — completely  collapsed. 
Haversacks  were  half  filled  with  odd  mixtures  of  hard- 
tack, fat  bacon,  coffee,  sugar,  salt,  and  pepper — per- 
haps an  iron  spoon  or  a  case-knife,  and  other  simple 
odds  and  ends  which  make  up  a  soldier's  commissary — 


262  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

all  in  one  mixed  up,  undistinguishable,  water-soaked 
mass !  Not  a  very  savory  breakfast  had  been  eaten 
before  starting.  Lunch  consisted  of  a  piece  of  the 
mixture  indicated,  Avashed  down  by  a  mouthful  of 
muddy  water,  and  supper  was  about  the  same,  with 
the  exception  that  the  contents  of  the  haversack  were 
considerably  softer.  It  was  just  in  such  remarkably 
romantic  and  eminently  hygienic  circumstances  that 
we  pushed  on — men,  horses,  artillery,  ammunition 
and  supply-wagons  plunging  and  floundering  through 
the  mud.  Onward,  through  the  deep  mire  and  bridge- 
less  streams,  swollen  by  the  incessant  rains,  over  the 
hills,  through  the  detise  woods,  out  on  the  open, 
swampy  plain,  we  pushed,  if  in  no  very  poetic  mood, 
yet  having  a  very  realizing  sense  of  the  intensely  act- 
ual of  military  life.  One  gets  the  sentimental  starch 
pretty  well  soaked  out  of  him  by  a  week  or  ten  days' 
experience,  as  we  had  then.  Don't  talk  empty  senti- 
mentalism  to  an  old  soldier.  He  knows  better.  If 
you  doubt  it,  my  non-military  readers,  just  ask  any 
of  the  heroes  of  the  Cumberland  if  they  have  any 
recollections  of  the  march  from  Murfreesboro  to  Tul- 
lahoma,  in  June,  1863. 

A  person  is  very  apt  to  remember  getting  up  in  the 
morning,  feeling  as  if  he  had  been  sleeping  on  the 
furrows  of  a  potato-patch,  or  on  the  ridges  and  angles 
of  a  "corduroy"  bridge,  and  having  a  very  strong 
impression  that  his  garments  were  decidedly  damp, 
and  had  a  strong  odor  of  decayed  leaves,  Avet  grass, 
and  fresh  earth.  To  make  one's  toilet  out  of  doors, 
under  such  circumstances,  and  eat  breakfast  by  the 


LIGHTS   ANP   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          263 

glare  of  the  camp-fire,  are  both  sufficiently  rustic  and 
simple  to  satisfy  the  most  enthusiastic  poet  that  ever 
sighed  for  the  return  of  the  good  old  days  of  sylvan 
shades,  moonlight  musjngs,  love  in  a  cottage,  or  a  ro- 
mantic retreat  in  some  vast  wilderness,  and  other 
nice,  pretty,  innocent  nonsense.  My  word  for  it,  if 
the  most  enthusiastic  poet  that  ever  wrote  heart-rend- 
ing sonnets  to  dear  Augusta  Matilda,  and  devoutly 
envied  the  wanton  breeze  that  toyed  with  her  auburn 
ringlets,  and  raved  to  the  moon  about  something  he 
called  his  heart — just  as  if  the  moon  knew  any  thing 
about  anatomy — and  who  felt  so  superior  to  the  com- 
mon experiences  of  this  practical  world  of  ours,  that 
he  could  only  live  in  dream-land,  and  subsist  on  sen- 
timental moonshine — if  such  a  simpleton  had  marched 
by  day  and  slept  by  night  alongside  some  of  us  dur- 
ing those  days  and  nights — got  up  long  before  day, 
floundered  about  in  the  mud,  and  eaten  his  breakfast 
while  the  rain  threatened  to  weaken  his  coffee  and 
soften  his  bread,  the  starch  of  sentimentalism  would 
have  been  completely  taken  out  of  him,  and  he  would 
have  been  as  limp  as  a  rag.  And,  for  myself,  I 
frankly  confess  that  there  was  precious  little  starch 
of  any  kind  left  in  me,  after  a  few  nights  of  such 
experience.  The  army  is  a  fine  place  to  get  difier- 
ent  kinds  and  qualities  of  starch  taken  out  of  peo- 
ple; and  if  they  have  nothing  to  keep  them  perpen- 
dicular, either  in  a  moral  or  physical  sense,  but  what 
is  external  and  circumstantial,  the  soft  spots  in  their 
general  stamina  will  soon  be  discovered,  and  they  will 
learn  at  least  one  lesson  of  life — to  know  themselves — 


264          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LITE. 

a  lesson,  by  the  way,  which  seldom  injures  any  one  to 
learn  correctly.     But  to  return. 

Moving  on  the  left  of  Tullahoma,  and  on  a  line 
nearly  parallel  with  the  railroad,  Thomas  proceeded 
so  as  to  strike  Bragg,  said  to  be  retreating  east.  On 
the  first  of  July,  part  of  the  column  entered  Tulla- 
homa, from  the  east — fairly  flanking  that  place — Bragg 
having  taken  the  alarm,  barely  getting  clear,  before  our 
cavalry  had  dashed  upon  his  rear-guard.  According 
to  all  reports  which  had  been  made  by  scouts  and 
prisoners,  it  was  generally  expected  that  a  long  and 
bloody  battle  would  be  fought  for  the  possession  of 
Tullahoma,  where,  it  was  asserted,  the  rebels  had 
strong  fortifications,  mounted  with  heavy  artillery, 
and  where,  it  was  also  said,  they  had  abundance  of  re- 
sources. The  scene  which  presented  itself  on  enter- 
ing Tullahoma,  told  how  precipitate  Bragg's  flight  had 
been.  Whole  fields  of  wall-tents,  of  the  best  quality, 
were  left  standing  just  as  they  had  been  in  use ;  and 
around  them,  as  well  as  in  them,  were  trunks,  mess- 
chests,  clothing,  etc.  We  captured  some  thirty  thou- 
sand pounds  of  corn-meal,  five  sixty-four-pounder 
siege-guns,  and  other  military  equipments.  Every 
thing  indicated  that  the  flight  was  sudden,  unexpected, 
and  precipitate.  All  along  the  by-paths,  in  the  woods 
as  well  as  on  the  highways,  over  which  the  fleeing 
army  had  gone,  were  strewed  clothing,  wagons,  black- 
smith's tools,  and  corn-meal.  Even  in  the  soft  places 
of  the  roads,  where  their  artillery  and  wagons  had 
mired,  they  had  thrown  whole  sacks  of  corn-meal  and 
beans,  in  order  to  fill  up  the  ruts,  and  thus  make  a 
bridge,  not  of  trees  or  rails,  but  of  bread !  Under  all 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY   LIFE.  265 

these  circumstances,  judge  of  our  surprise  when,  on 
picking  up  a  copy  of  the  Chattanooga  Rebel,  of  June 
30 — the  day  previous — we  read  that  "  General  Rose- 
crans's  army  was  in  full  retreat  toward  Nashville, 
closely  pursued  by  the  victorious  army  of  Bragg ! " 
Still  onward,  although  it  continued  to  rain  almost 
without  intermission,  and  although  new  roads  had  fre- 
quently to  be  cut  for  the  artillery  and  trains — the  old 
ones,  in  many  places,  being  impassable — still  onward 
pressed  the  columns,  so  as  to  intercept  Bragg,  rapidly 
retreating  eastward,  and  endeavoring  to  reach  Chatta- 
nooga on  the  south  of  the  Tennessee  River.  Before 
Bragg  could  reach  the  mountain  ranges,  he  had  to 
cross  Elk  River,  a  rapid  stream,  now  swollen  by  the 
rains.  The  intention  was  to  strike  his  army  at  or 
near  this  river  while  in  the  act  of  crossing.  Thomas's 
advance  reached  a  point  not  far  from  Estelle  Springs, 
just  as  the  rear  of  the  army  had  got  across  and  taken 
up  a  position  on  the  opposite  side — a  high  bluff,  on 
•which  were  constructed  two  or  three  stockades,  and 
some  rifle-pits,  commanding  the  bridge.  They  had  at- 
tempted to  burn  the  bridge,  but  it  was  so  little  injured 
that  a  few  hours'  work  rendered  it  passable  by  the  in- 
fantry, while  the  cavalry  and  artillery  crossed  at  sev- 
eral points  above  and  below.  In  the  mean  time,  Crit- 
tenden,  on  the  left,  had  moved  up  toward  Tracy  City, 
thus  taking  possession  of  the  best  and  most  direct 
route  to  Chattanooga.  ^This  turned  Bragg's  right,  and 
compelled  him  to  move  almost  due  south,  and  through 
a  rough,  mountainous  country. 

On  the  8th  of   July,  the   forces   generally  halted, 
forming  a  front  from  Tracy  City  almost  to  Huntsville, 
23 


266          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

the  center  resting  in  front  of  the  mountain  rangea 
opposite  Winchester.  The  command  of  General  Itey- 
nolds  lay  near  Big  Springs — General  Crook's  com- 
mand being  encamped  close  by  the  Springs  and  within 
two  and  a  half  miles  of  Dechard  Station,  on  the  Nash- 
ville and  Chattanooga  Railroad. 

THOUGHTS  AND  INCIDENTS. 

No  doubt  the  reader  has  already  discovered  that  the 
pen  which  jots  these  army  items,  or,  if  you  will,  traces 
these  Lights  and  Shadows  of  Army  Life,  is  a  very  er- 
ratic and  uncertain  pen.  Here  is  another  evidence  of 
that  fact. 

Imagine  yourself  just  resting  under  a  tree,  or,  if 
you  like  it  better,  come  into  one  of  our  "shelter 
tents ; "  that,  dear  reader,  is  the  polite  and  official  name 
of  what  the  boys  call  "dorg  tents;"  but,  no  matter, 
let  us  have  a  little  talk.  And,  first  of  all,  let  me  ask 
a  plain  question.  Were  you  ever  hungry?  I  don't 
mean  to  ask,  Did  you  ever  have  a  good  appetite  ?  for, 
of  course,  you  have.  Neither  do  I  mean  to  inquire 
whether  you  ever  felt  a  certain  keen,  healthful  commo- 
tion in  the  gastric  region  when  by  your  watch  it  lacked 
precisely  fifteen  minutes  and  ten  seconds  of  the  dinner 
hour,  and  which — not  your  watch,  but  your  stomach — 
induced  you  to  believe  you  could  eat  like  a  New  Zea- 
lander.  Neither  do  I  ask  whether  you  ever  felt  some- 
what dissatisfied  and  considered  yourself  as  entitled  to 
the  honor  of  martyrdom,  because  your  better  half  (per- 
haps your  better  half  all  to  nothing)  set  before  you  a 
cold  lunch  on  some  day  of  general  domestic  tribulation 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE.  267 

and  soapsuds,  and  which  caused  you  to  pray  that  the 
millennium  might  speedily  come,  when  the  miserably 
abused  lords  of  creation,  yourself  included,  would  be 
saved  from  the  weekly  crucifixion  of  stomach  and 
temper.  No,  no!  I  don't  mean  any  such  healthful, 
hopeful  hunger  as  that;  but  I  mean  a  real,  genuine, 
hopeless,  prostrating  hunger,  the  result,  for  instance, 
of  thirty-six  hours'  pretty  general  fasting,  followed  by 
two  hours'  sleep  at  the  foot  of  a  tree,  in  rain  and  mud 
and  wretchedness  generally.  That  is  the  kind  of 
hunger  to  which  reference  is  made.  If  you  have  ever 
been  in  such  circumstances,  then  you  deserve  to  be 
pitied;  if  you  never  have,  then  be  thankful,  and  pray 
that  you  never  may. 

During  the  time  indicated  in  the  previous  chapter, 
and,  indeed,  during  the  whole  of  my  army  experience, 
I  have,  in  common  with  others,  known  what  is  included 
in  that  comprehensive  term  "a  campaign;"  and  one 
of  the  lessons  learned  was  this — namely,  that  the  his- 
tory of  this  war  will  never  be  written.  The  history  of 
no  war  has  ever  been  written,  and  for  this  reason,  that 
it  is  an  utter  impossibility.  A  sketch  may  be  given ; 
brilliant  generalities  may  be  recorded  by  the  pen  of 
the  historian  after  the  dust  and  smoke  of  battle  have 
cleared  away;  rhetorical  flourishes,  and  rounded  pe- 
riods, musical  expressions  strung  together  and  sound- 
ing like  silver  bells,  and  pet  military  phrases  placed 
at  proper  distances  on  the  page,  like  general  olficers 
on  a  review,  may  all  be  brought  into  play  in  the  pro- 
duction of  some  grandly  pretentious  history  of  any 
given  campaign ;  but  the  history,  as  such,  will  be  a 
failure.  War,  as  written  on  the  page  of  history,  is 


268          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

vastly  different  from  war  as  written  on  the  long,  weary 
march,  the  bivouac,  and  the  battlefield.  It  is  vastly 
different  as  seen  from  the  cozy  parlor  fireside,  through 
the  page  of  a  book  or  the  columns  of  the  daily  paper, 
and  seen  from  amid  the  smoke  and  din  of  the  conflict 
itself,  the  groans  of  the  wounded  and  the  dying,  and 
scenes  of  horror  that  the  beholder  never  can  forget. 
And,  then,  there  are  elements  of  individual  privation 
and  suffering  that  never  enter  into  the  sum  total  of 
the  historian's  grand  estimate  of  war,  and  which 
"special  correspondents,"  enjoying  special  privileges, 
sometimes  never  know,  or,  if  known,  are  seldom  re- 
ferred to  in  their  communications.  And  those  very 
sufferings  and  privations,  endured  by  the  patriot  sol- 
diers during  this  wicked  rebellion,  only  show  how 
devoted  they  have  been  to  the  good  cause  in  which 
they  have  been  engaged,  and  what  a  debt  of  gratitude 
the  country  will  owe  them  when  the  rebellion  is 
crushed.  Owing  to  circumstances,  which  it  is  need- 
less to  relate,  on  more  occasions  than  one  did  the 
brave  men  composing  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland 
suffer  from  absolute  hunger.  During  the  advance 
into  Southern  Tennessee  and  Northern  Alabama  and 
Georgia,  amid  the  cheerful  feelings  caused  by  a  vic- 
torious entrance  into  Bragg's  strongholds,  and  the 
driving  of  his  army  before  us  continually,  there  were 
times  when  it  needed  both  patience  and  patriotism 
to  bear  up  in  the  midst  of  severe  privations.  I  re- 
member, and  ever  will  remember,  one  particular  time, 
during  that  campaign,  when  the  Eleventh,  Thirty- 
sixth,  and  other  Ohio  regiments,  neither  rested,  slept, 
nor  ate  any  thing,  save  crackers,  for  forty-eight  hours, 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF    AKMY   LIFE.  269 

standing  up  or  lying  down,  their  muskets  never  out 
of  their  hands,  skirmishing  with  the  enemy  the  whole 
time,  while  shell  and  shot  were  passing  over  and 
around  them — all  this,  too,  in  rain  and  mud,  and  after 
long  and  fatiguing  marches.  The  utter  wretchedness 
of  that  weary  time  will  never  be  forgotten.  There 
was  no  place  to  rest,  unless  one  chose  either  to  lie 
down  in  the  mud,  or  take  two  or  three  rails  and  place 
them  so  as  to  form  an  inclined  plane,  or  search  for 
some  root-prongs  above  water  and  mud,  and  lie  down 
in  the  easiest  position  possible. 

I  am  a  great  admirer  of  the  water-cure  system,  if 
you  will  allow  me  to  regulate  the  water  part  of  the 
cure,  and  not  mix  it  too  much  with  mud;  but  I  ac- 
knowledge that  forty-eight  hours  in  rain  above  and 
mire  beneath,  two  hours'  sleep  at  the  foot  of  a  tree, 
with  one  of  the  root-prongs  for  a  pillow,  a  cracker  or 
two  for  the  inner  man,  and  a  "wet  pack"  for  the  outer, 
is  taking  the  starch  out  a  little  too  rapidly  for  com- 
fort, and  seems  sufficiently  convincing  of  the  powerful 
effects  of  cold  water  and  plain  diet  to  suit  the  most 
rabid  Grahamite.  Do  you  suppose,  dear  reader,  that 
it  would  savor  much  of  the  carnal  mind  if  one  were 
frankly  to  confess  that  he  felt  hungry  and  faint  and 
miserable  after  such  rough  experiences?  Or  do  you 
think  that  one's  conscience  would  be  much  troubled 
about  transmogrifying  a  stray  sheep  into  mutton — es- 
pecially if  its  bleating  was  constructively  disloyal — 
and  partaking  of  a  savory  slice,  asking  no  questions, 
for  the  stomach's  sake  and  often  infirmities?  I  don't 
want  you  to  understand,  for  a  moment,  dear  reader, 
that  any  sheep  ever  came  to  an  untimely  end,  or  was 


270  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

accidentally  changed  into  mutton-chops  through  my 
instrumentality;  but  I  will  just  acknowledge  that  one 
of  the  sweetest  morsels  I  have  ever  eaten  was  given 
me,  one  miserable,  wet  evening,  by  "  Shorty  " — may 
his  shadow  never  grow  less!  Where  he  got  it  I  didn't 
ask,  but  assuredly  he  hadn't  time  to  go  to  market 
for  it! 

Apropos  to  speaking  of  long  fasts,  rain,  mud,  fence- 
rail  beds,  and  pine-root  couches,  let  me  state  a  fact, 
which  I  most  humbly  commend  to  the  notice  of  the 
more  metaphysical  of  my  readers.  It  is  this :  I  have 
noticed  that,  after  a  long  fast,  or  a  three  or  four  weeks' 
diet  of  hard  crackers  and  muddy  coffee,  a  good,  sub- 
stantial meal  has  a  most  wonderful  effect  on  one's  re- 
ligious enjoyments.  Why,  I  have  felt  pious  all  over, 
after  a  good  dinner  or  supper  under  such  circum- 
stances, and  my  heart,  or  stomach,  perhaps,  was  so  full 
of  good  feeling  that  I  loved  everybody,  and  thought 
every  thing  looked  brighter  and  more  beautiful  gen- 
erally. Even  the  rebel  chivalry,  in  dirt  and  rags  and 
general  squalidness,  seemed  to  be  somewhat  improved, 
and  to  look  less  lean,  lank,  cadaverous,  and  loose- 
jointed.  The  very  leaves  seemed  to  quiver  in  sym- 
pathy with  my  good  feeling,  and  the  few  birds  that  had 
not  been  driven  off  by  the  incessant  noise  and  confu- 
sion, seemed  to  chirp  more  musically  and  cheerfully; 
while  at  night,  even  the  doleful  "Whip-poor-will" 
seemed  to  sing  cheerily,  "Mutton's  good!  Mutton's 
good!"  0,  you  needn't  contract  your  pious  brows 
into  a  sanctimonious  frown,  my  good  Brother  Skinflint ! 
It's  all  true,  and  if  you  don't  believe  it,  just  make 
the  experiment.  If  you  do,  perhaps  your  own  expe- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY  LIFE.  271 

rience  with  the  lights  and  shadows — especially  the 
shadows — of  life  in  general  will  lead  you  to  ask,  as  I 
have  often  done,  How  much  religion  is  there  in  good 
living  ?  How  much  do  our  "  frames  of  mind,"  especially 
of  the  exuberant,  comfottable  kind,  depend  upon  juicy 
roast  beef,  savory  potatoes,  and  good  things  generally  ! 
What  connection  is  there,  after  all,  between  the  state 
of  our  digestive  organs  and  the  nature  of  our  relig- 
ious emotions?  To  what  an  extent  do  our  fervency 
of  devotion,  or  strength  of  zeal,  or  power  of  faith,  or 
brilliancy  of  hope  depend  on  whether  we  have  made 
our  dinner  or  supper  from  an  abundance  of  good 
things,  and  with  keen  relish,  or  whether  we  have  had 
to  snatch  an  unpalatable  morsel  from  under  the  dark 
shadow  of  Want  ?  Do  the  luxurious  apartments  and 
soft  couches  and  well-loaded  tables  of  wealthy  Chris- 
tians have  any  thing  to  do  with  their  self-satisfaction 
and  easy  spiritual  victories — freedom  from  harassing 
cares  and  general  hopefulness?  Or  do  the  continual 
struggles  with  poverty,  and  the  anxious  cares  and  the 
want  of  many  things  that  are  craved  both  by  bodily 
and  mental  appetites,  from  which  the  pious  poor  have 
to  suffer,  have  any  connection  with  their  inward  con- 
flicts, their  seasons  of  darkness,  and  their  deep,  earnest 
longings  after  other  and  brighter  days?  And  should 
there  not  be  more  Christ-like  tenderness  and  sympathy 
felt  in  dealing  with  the  sad  and  suffering  of  earth  ? 
Should  there  not  be  more  attention  paid  to  the  phys- 
ical wants  of  the  poor,  while  their  spiritual  necessi- 
ties are  by  no  means  neglected  ?  Might  not  a  loaf  of 
bread,  or  any  little  delicacy  from  the  hand  of  some 
Christian  lady,  do  more  good  to  the  soul  as  well  as 


272  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

the  body  of  poor  Widow  Brown,  over  the  way — bring 
her  nearer  to  Christ  and  heaven — than  an  eight-page 
tract,  containing  a  thin,  meager,  metaphysical  homily 
on  the  "Duty  of  Contentment,"  handed  to  her,  with 
all  due  formality,  by  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Creamcheese? 
Speaking  of  the  Rev.  Jonathan  Creamcheese,  re- 
minds me  of  one  of  his  eminent  brethren,  who  flour- 
ished somewhat  during  the  campaign  of  1863.  Let 
me  introduce  the  reader  to 

A  BRAVE  MILITARY  CHAPLAIN. 

During  the  continual  skirmishing  with  Bragg's  re- 
treating army,  there  were  several  occasions  when  se- 
vere and  serious  fighting  took  place.  On  one  of  the 
occasions  referred  to,  when  the  casualties  were  unusu- 
ally numerous,  and  when  there  was  ample  work  for  all 
to  do  in  ministering  to  the  wants  of  the  wounded,  my 
attention  was  frequently  attracted  by  a  portly-look- 
ing, fresh-faced  gentleman,  who  carried  a  very  nice 
walking-cane,  and  was  invariably  seen  with  a  cigar  in 
his  mouth,  from  which  he  blew  a  continuous  and  quite 
fashionable  cloud  of  smoke.  He  seemed  to  be  in  very 
good  humor  with  every  one  in  general,  and  with  him- 
self in  particular.  He  had  a  jovial,  hail-fellow-well- 
met  kind  of  air  about  him,  and  seemed  to  be  so  full 
of  general  good  humor  and  camp  abandon,  that  he 
was  perfectly  indifferent  to  the  very  sad  scenes  by 
which  we  were  then  and  there  surrounded.  Who 
could  he  be?  He  could  not  be  a  surgeon,  for  there 
was  too  much  work  to  be  done,  just  then,  for  any  of 
the  medical  staff  to  be  idle.  Perhaps  a  special  cor- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          273 

respondent  of  some  daily  paper,  thought  I,  and,  there- 
fore, he  is  looking  on  with  that  air  of  nonchalance 
peculiar  to  professional  coolness  and  long  intimacy 
with  sad  scenes.  But  he  had  no  note-book  nor  pencil 
in  hand,  and  he  was  too  robust  and  well-dressed  for  a 
genuine  quill-driver  for  the  newspaper  press.  And 
then,  too,  I  had  noticed  that  correspondents  were  in- 
variably busy,  in  one  way  or  another,  where  there 
were  any  wounded.  No,  no ;  he  could  not  be  a  cor- 
respondent. Perhaps  a  visitor,  then — one  following 
the  army  to  satisfy  his  curiosity.  But  even  that  did 
not  seem  to  suit,  and  so  I  gave  up  my  guessing.  One 
thing  was  certain — he  had  not,  as  I  noticed,  spoken  a 
word  to  one  of  the  wounded — he  had  rendered  no 
assistance  where  help  was  so  much  needed,  but  only 
flourished  his  cane  and  smoked  his  cigar.  However, 
the  mystery  was  solved  at  last,  and  my  curiosity  satis- 
fied. He  finally  spoke  to  me.  This  of  itself  was  a 
favor  for  which  one  ought  to  have  been  profoundly 
thankful — that  is,  considering  the  circumstances.  I 
had  torn  my  coat  the  day  before,  in  a  frantic  attempt 
to  overload  the  pockets  with  hard-tack  and  two  or 
three  numbers  of  the  "Atlantic."  From  the  crown 
of  a  dilapidated  felt  hat,  knocked  into  all  conceivable 
shapes,  to  the  toes  of  a  pair  of  coarse  cavalry  boots, 
I  was  well  covered  with  mud.  Add  to  this,  I  had 
spent  the  previous  night  in  the  driest  corner  of  a 
leaky  wagon- shed,  with  my  saddle  for  a  mattress,  and 
a  cracker-box  for  a  pillow;  had  been  liberally  supplied 
with  water  from  above,  and  thin  mire  from  below,  and, 
therefore,  fel't  decidedly  cheap. 

"  Hospital  nurse  or  steward,  eh  ?  "  said  he,  conde- 


274  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

scendingly,  as  I  straightened  myself  up,  after  having 
finished  supplying  the  wounded  with  hot  coffee  and 
dry  rusk. 

"Here,  chaplain — my  pardner,  here,  says  he  wants 
some  more  coffee.  I'll  take  some,  too — blamed  if  I'm 
going  to  miss  my  rations  for  this  scratch.  The  ball 
came  purty  near  knocking  out  my  chunk,  though — it's 
a  fact!" 

The  "pardner"  and  his  friend  were  duly  supplied — 
and  again  the  gentleman  of  the  cane  and  cigar  ad- 
dressed me: 

"You're  a  chaplain,  eh?  What  regiment  do  you 
belong  to?"  he  inquired,  most  majestically,  as  he  blew 
the  tobacco-smoke  into  curling  wreaths. 

I  informed  him,  with  becoming  deference,  at  the 
same  time  scraping  some  mud  off  my  coat,  and  trying 
to  straighten  out  my  hat,  which  had  been  jammed  and 
softened  out  of  all  shape. 

"  I  am  chaplain,  too,"  said  he,  with  becoming  grav- 
ity, and  with  that  self-importance  becoming  so  great  a 

personage.  "  I  am  chaplain  of  the regiment,"  he 

continued,  between  the  pufis — "  have  been  at  home  sick 
for  some  time,  but,  in  all  the  engagements  which  we 
have  been  in,  I  have  always  occupied  my  official  posi- 
tion, namely,  six  paces  in  the  rear  of  my  regiment." 

Bah !  thought  I — your  true  position  would  be  a  few 
score  of  miles  in  the  rear  of  the  army.  Sick !  Was 
there  ever  such  a  jolly,  ruddy,  plump,  ponderous  bur- 
lesque on  sickness  !  And  that  shining  cane,  too,  and 
those  everlasting  cigars  !  Six  paces  in  the  rear  of  the 
regiment  during  battle  !  How  brave  !  No  wonder  he 
could  not  condescend  to  such  small  matters  as  to  speak 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          275 

a  word  of  comfort  to  the  sufferers,  nor  give  one  of 
them  a  cup  of  cold  water! 

In  striking  contrast  with  the  conduct  of  the  above- 
mentioned  gentleman,  .was  that  of  Chaplain  Grimes, 
of  the  Ninety-second  Ohio.  Although  in  feeble  health 
himself,  he  worked  everywhere,  and  at  all  times,  for  the 
good  of  his  own  men  as  well  as  for  those  of  other  com- 
mands. He  persevered  for  months  in  his  arduous  la- 
bors, seeking  the  welfare  of  all  with  whom  he  came  into 
contact,  till,  at  last,  he  had  to  yield  to  stern  necessity 
and  ask  to  be  relieved  from  duty.  When  he  left  the 
army  it  was  with  the  respect  and  esteem  of  all  who 
knew  his  labors  and  his  self-sacrificing  spirit.  Of  him, 
however,  it  might  be  said,  that  his  very  anxiety  to  labor, 
and  his  nervous  energy  in  all  he  undertook,  especially 
in  visiting  the  hospitals,  so  exhausted  his  already  weak 
frame,  that  he  was  all  the  sooner  and  all  the  more  com- 
pletely incapacitated  for  army  labor.  I  thus  record 
my  appreciation  of  a  good  man  and  an  efficient  chap- 
lain. 


CHAPTER   XXII. 

ROSECRANS'S    ADVANCE — CROSSING    LOOKOUT — PERILOUS    POSITION    OP 
THE    ARMY. 

TOWARD  the  middle  of  August,  the  railroad  from 
Murfreesboro  to  Chattanooga  had  been  repaired  as  far 
as  Cowan,  and  materials  had  been  collected  at  differ- 
ent points,  from  Tullahoma  to  Dechard,  to  continue 
repairs  as  the  army  advanced.  Supplies  had  been 
collected,  the  troops  were  rested  and  refreshed,  and 
every  thing  was  promising  and  cheerful.  On  the  16th 
and  17th  a  general  advance  of  the  whole  line  took 
place.  General  Reynolds' s  division  had  already  ad- 
vanced to  University,  a  point  of  some  note  on  the 
Cumberland  range,  so  that  while  part  of  the  corps  was 
moving  from  Dechard,  our  division  was  already  well 
advanced.  The  line  pursued  by  Thomas's  corps  was 
nearly  parallel  with  the  Nashville  and  Chattanooga 
Railroad — the  third  division  (Reynolds's)  being  con- 
siderably east  of  that  road.  General  McCook,  still 
on  the  right,  moved  on  a  line  a  little  west  of  south,  so 
as  to  strike  the  Tennessee  River  west  of  Stevenson. 
On  the  23d  of  August  our  troops  occupied  Jasper,  at 
which  point  our  division  lay  till  the  1st  of  Septem- 
ber. On  that  and  the  succeeding  days,  the  entire 
force  in  the  Sequatchie  Valley  crossed  the  river,  at 
(276) 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  277 

Shellmound,  while  other  portions  of  the  corps  crossed 
at  different  points  below,  while  McCook,  at  about  the 
same  time,  crossed  at  points  at  and  below  Bridgeport. 
Meanwhile,  Crittenden  was  moving  more  to  the  east, 
threatening  Chattanooga,  whither,  it  was  stated,  Bragg 
had  retreated  and  was  fortifying  for  the  final  struggle 
in  the  "last  ditch."  Thus,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  line 
of  battle  formed  by  the  various  columns  of  the  Army 
of  the  Cumberland,  at  the  time  referred  to — say  from 
the  28th  of  August  till  the  4th  of  September — was 
not  less  than  forty-five  miles,  and  facing  nearly  south, 
or  a  little  east  of  south.  The  intention  of  Rosecrans 
was  to  get  Bragg  out  of  Chattanooga — not  by  fighting, 
but  by  strategy.  To  accomplish  this,  part  of  Critten- 
den's  corps,  as  already  stated,  moved  up  on  the  north 
side  of  the  Tennessee  toward  that  place.  Proceeding 
a  short  distance  above  the  city,  they  made  demon- 
strations as  if  about  to  cross  the  river.  The  troops 
flapped  and  pounded  boards,  cut  down  trees,  sawed 
off  the  ends  of  planks  and  logs,  designedly  made  chips 
and  coarse  shavings,  and  threw  them  into  the  current, 
which,  floating  past  Bragg's  camps  below,  intimated 
that  the  Yankee  invaders  were  making  pontoon  bridges, 
in  order  to  cross  above  the  city.  Wilder  suddenly 
showed  himself  on  the  bluffs  north  of  the  town,  un- 
limbered  his  artillery  almost  under  Bragg's  nose,  and 
sent  a  few  shells  and  round  shot  into  the  city  and  the 
rebel  camps.  While  Bragg's  attention  was  thus  di- 
verted near  Chattanooga,  and  Crittenden  was  seem- 
ingly working  with  the  utmost  energy  to  effect  a  cross- 
ing above  the  city  and  turn  his  right,  the  pontoon 
bridges  at  Caperton's  Ferry,  three  miles  from  Steven- 


278          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE. 

son,  and  the  one  at  Bridgeport,  twelve  miles  above, 
were  successfully  finished,  and  the  troops  under  Thomas 
and  McCook  safely  across.  As  soon  as  the  army 
was  fairly  across  the  river,  the  right  was  pushed  rap- 
idly forward,  which  changed  the  line  of  battle  from 
nearly  due  south  to  south-east.  The  cavalry  on  the 
extreme  right  swung  round,  so  as  to  avoid  the  im- 
mense mountain  ranges,  and  threatened  the  extensive 
net-work  of  railroads  in  Bragg's  rear,  and  upon  which 
he  had  to  depend  for  supplies.  Thus,  by  the  peculiar 
nature  of  the  country,  the  long  sweep  which  the  rail- 
roads have  to  make  in  order  to  avoid  the  northern 
extremity  of  Mission  Ridge,  Crittenden  threatened 
Bragg's  lines  of  communication  on  the  north  and  east, 
while  Thomas  and  McCook,  sweeping  around  or  over 
Lookout  and  the  mountain  ranges  below,  threatened 
them  on  the  south  and  west.  Any  one,  who  will  take 
a  map  and  trace  these  movements,  will  admire  the  mili- 
tary strategy  displayed  by  General  Rosecrans  on  this 
occasion,  and  which  was  so  successful. 

On  the  afternoon  of  the  3d,  we  crossed  over  the 
high  range  of  hills  known  as  Raccoon  Mountain,  our 
division  taking  a  commanding  position  in  the  Trenton 
Valley,  shortly  after  dark.  A  rebel  cavalry  force  evac- 
uated the  north-east  point  of  the  mountain  as  our  ad- 
vance swept  round.  The  rebel  signal-lights  could  be 
distinctly  seen  working  on  Lookout  Mountain.  Our 
camp-fires,  however,  were  kindled  on  the  west  side  of 
some  low  hills  at  the  foot  of  the  mountain,  so  that  the 
movements  were  partially  concealed.  Two  pieces  of 
artillery  were  wheeled  into  position  so  as  to  command 
the  Trenton  and  Chattanooga  roads,  while  several 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          279 

pieces  were  placed  in  position  and  masked  in  the 
woods  overlooking  the  valley.  General  Crittenden, 
with  the  remainder  of  his  corps,  was  cautiously  mov- 
ing up  on  our  left  toward  the  great  pivot  on  which 
both  armies  were  at  this  time  swinging — namely,  Chat- 
tanooga. 

CROSSING  LOOKOUT. 

The  crossing  of  Lookout  Mountain  by  the  Army  of 
the  Cumberland  equaled,  and,  in  some  respects,  ex- 
celled, the  celebrated  crossing  of  the  Alps  by  Napo- 
leon— aside,  entirely,  from  the  fact  that  it  had  to  be 
crossed  in  the  face  of  the  enemy,  and  that  there  were 
but  two  passes  or  gaps  by  which  an  army,  with  its 
artillery  and  wagon-trains,  could  possibly  proceed  with 
any  reference  to  safety.  On  Wednesday,  the  9th  of 
September,  Thomas's  corps  commenced  the  difficult 
work  of  crossing  the  mountain  by  the  central  pass, 
about  eight  miles  south  of  Trenton,  known  as  Coop- 
er's and  Stevens's  Gaps.  McCook's  corps  crossed  by 
the  pass  known  as  Winston's  Gap,  about  twenty  miles 
south  of  Trenton.  Crittenden  swept  around  the  north- 
ern extremity  of  Lookout  Mountain,  where  it  termin- 
ates close  by  the  Tennessee  River,  and  within  five 
miles  of  Chattanooga.  Before  the  crossing  of  the 
central  column  had  commenced,  intelligence  was  re- 
ceived that  Bragg  had  evacuated  Chattanooga,  and 
Crittenden  had  taken  possession  of  the  town.  So  well 
planned  and  so  well  executed,  so  far,  were  the  move- 
ments of  Rosecrans,  that  Bragg  was  compelled  to  fall 
back  from  Chattanooga,  or  permit  himself  to  be  shut 
up  in  that  nook  on  the  Tennessee  between  two  mount- 


280  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

ain  ranges.  By  moving  across  Lookout  by  Stevens's 
Gap,  Thomas's  corps  threatened  Bragg' s  rear  at  La- 
fayette, and  McCook*s  cavalry  were  threatening  Rome 
still  further  south,  a  detachment  of  which,  under  Colo- 
nel Brownlow,  having  advanced  to  within  five  miles  of 
that  place. 

On  the  evening  of  the  10th,  after  a  toilsome  march 
through  the  steep,  rough,  rocky,  mountain  pass,  the 
advance,  under  General  Turchin,  of  Reynolds's  divi- 
sion, reached  the  southern  base  of  Lookout,  a  little 
after  dark.  The  Thirty-sixth  Ohio  was  in  the  advance 
of  the  brigade,  and  their  skirmishers  drove  in  the 
enemy's  pickets.  A  force  sufficiently  heavy  was  ad- 
vanced in  order  to  drive  back  the  enemy  sufficiently 
to  permit  us  to  get  room  enough  to  camp,  and  reach  a 
supply  of  water.  No  sooner  were  the  enemy's  pickets 
driven  in,  than  hundreds  of  camp-fires  were  speedily 
blazing  all  along  the  foot  of  the  mountain  and  through 
the  gap,  just  as  if  there  had  been  twenty  thousand  of 
us,  when,  in  reality,  there  were  not  then  three  thou- 
sand fairly  over  the  mountain  and  facing  the  enemy! 
During  the  darkness  we  had  to  grope  our  way  in 
search  for  ground  sufficiently  level  upon  which  to 
spread  our  blankets,  while  the  immense  trains  had  to 
be  huddled  into  the  closest  possible  position.  A  heavy 
picket  line  was  thrown  out,  and  we  held  ourselves  in 
readiness  for  battle  any  moment.  As  troops  with  their 
artillery  and  wagon-trains  were  pushing  close  behind, 
and  in  the  darkness  objects  wrapped  in  rubber  blan- 
kets could  not  be  distinctly  seen  among  the  pine  and 
laurel  bushes,  there  was  not  much  hope  of  a  comfort- 
able night's  rest — even  granting  that  the  rebels  should 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          281 

not  make  an  attack  during  the  night.  Colonel  Lane 
and  the  chaplain  entered  into  a  joint-stock  partnership 
in  the  matter  of  blankets  and  saddles,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  the  ever-faithful  Mike,  prepared  to  spend 
the  night  with  a  due  regard  to  comfort.  By  dint  of 
groping  with  hands  and  feet,  and  aided  somewhat  by 
the  glare  of  the  camp-fires,  we  discovered  two  im- 
mense logs,  lying  nearly  parallel,  and  about  five  feet 
apart.  Here  were  double  breastworks — or  mfe-works, 
rather — which  would  prevent  us  from  being  unduly 
disturbed  either  by  stray  mules  or  their  drivers,  floun- 
dering about  in  the  darkness.  After  a  sweet — not 
literally,  but  ideally  sweet — cup  of.  robust  coffee,  and 
an  equally  sweet  allowance  of  hard-tack,  we  lay  down 
in  our  rural  retreat.  0,  ye  love-sick  noodles,  who  sigh 
for  sylvan  shades,  wouldn't  ye  have  been  in  transports 
there!  Mike,  who  was  always  exact  in  military  eti- 
quette to  the  colonel,  and  exhibited  all  due  respect 
for  his  "riverence,"  treated  both  of  us,  in  the  matter 
of  going  to  bed,  much  as  if  he  thought  us  a  couple  of 
spalpeens  that  were  under  his  special  care..  The  col- 
onel might  be  equal  to  Alexander  the  Great,  and  the 
chaplain — "  barring  he  was  a  heretic,  bad  scran  to  him 
for  that ! " — might  be  next-door  neighbor  to  the  "  howly 
praist  of  Ballyshannon,"  but  neither  of  them  knew 
enough  to  make  an  orthodox  bed ! 

"Sure,  an  isn't  it  meself  knows  how  to  fix  yees 
right?"  he  would  say,  as  he  tucked  the  blankets  round 
us,  and  gave  our  saddle-pillows  a  finishing  touch. 

It  is  a  matter  of  doubt  whether  he  did  not  give  the 
colonel  the  worst  side  of  the  rough,  rocky  bed  that 
night.  I  have  an  indistinct  impression  that  he  was 
24 


282          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY    LIFE. 

inclined  to  roll  down  hill,  and,  but  for  the  log,  there  is 
no  saying  where  he  might  have  gone.  We  were  just 
beginning  to  doze  sweetly  and  dreamily,  when  a  team- 
ster, thinking  it  would  be  a  good  place  to  feed  his 
mules  at,  pitched  an  armful  of  green  cornstalks  over 
us,  and  began  leading  up  his  mules — using  the  col- 
onel and  the  chaplain  as  the  bottom  of  his  feeding- 
trough!  This  was  a  little  too  much  of  the  romantic 
all  at  once,  and  the  teamster  was  informed  that  we 
were  not  anxious  to  cultivate  such  a  close  acquaint- 
ance with  his  mules,  just  at  that  time.  Again  we  were 
trying  to  sleep  amid  the  hum  and  bustle  of  the  troops, 
when  a  weary  soldier,  putting  his  gun  close  by  our 
heads,  stretched  himself  on  the  log  above  us.  I  began 
to  calculate  his  possible  weight  in  pounds,  and  the  laws 
of  gravitation  which  would  operate,  should  he  begin  to 
roll  in  his  sleep,  and  formed  a  rough  estimate  of  the 
number  of  ribs  Avhich  I  might  require  set  in  the  event 
of  his  rolling  on  my  side  of  the  log.  He  finally  moved 
away.  Now  for  sleep.  Midnight. — There  is  more 
quiet.  But  no ! 

"  Colonel !  Colonel  Lane ! "  Aroused  again.  It  is 
Captain  Price,  of  General  Turchin's  staif. 

"The  general  desires  me  to  say  that  you  will  send 
out  two  companies,  under  Major  Higgins,  at  three 
o'clock,  to  strengthen  the  picket  line.  The  enemy's 
pickets  are  to  be  driven  in,  and  our  own  pickets  ad- 
vanced half  a  mile  beyond  where  theirs  now  are." 

The  necessary  orders  are  given,  and  again  Colonel 
Lane  lies  down.  But  we  may  as  well  give  it  up.  One 
o'clock. — No  sleep.  Two  o'clock. — The  men,  wearied 
with  the  toilsome  march  of  the  previous  day,  are  sleep- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIEE.          283 

ing  soundly  on  their  rocky  beds  and  under  the  starry 
canopy  of  heaven,  and  must  be  aroused.  We  expect 
the  roar  of  battle  any  moment,  and  listen  for  the  boom 
of  the  first  gun.  Three  o'clock. — The  companies  de- 
tailed for  the  picket  line  have  had  a  cup  of  coffee,  and 
have  started  with  the  major. 

And  so  the  morning  wears  away.  At  seven  o'clock 
the  lines  are  advanced  cautiously.  Negley  has  been 
fighting  already,  and  the  enemy  is  showing  strength. 
The  column  moved  forward  cautiously  till  the  14th, 
when  the  battle  lines  were  formed  in  the  valley  lying 
between  Pigeon  and  Lookout  Mountains,  known  as 
McLemore's  Cove.  General  Reynolds's  division  was 
opposite  Catlet's  Gap,  a  deep  gorge  in  Pigeon  Mount- 
ain. Turchin's  brigade  was  pushed  close  to  the  gap, 
and  engaged  Hood's  division  more  or  less  during  the 
whole  day.  The  Eleventh  Ohio,  at  this  time,  was  on 
duty  for  forty-eight  hours,  and  constantly  under  fire. 
The  regiment  was  relieved  on  the  evening  of  the  16th, 
a  few  hours  after  having  repelled  a  determined  assault 
of  the  enemy. 

CHICKAMAUGA. 

The  strategic  movements  of  Rosecrans,  sketched  so 
briefly  in  the  foregoing  pages,  not  only  bewildered 
Bragg,  but  alarmed  the  whole  Southern  Confederacy, 
as  was  evidenced  by  the  strenuous  efforts  put  forth  to 
arrest  the  further  progress  of  the  Union  army.  It 
was  but  a  few  days  after  Rosecrans  had  fairly  crossed 
Lookout  Mountain,  when  accumulating  evidence  was 
given  that  Bragg  was  being  reinforced,  and  that  now  a 
stand  would  be  made,  and,  perhaps,  a  battle  fought  for 


284          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

the  final  possession  of  Chattanooga.  While  Thomas's 
corps  was  feeling  the  strength  of  the  enemy  holding 
the  gaps  of  Pigeon  Mountain,  Crittenden  had  advanced 
on  the  left  as  far  as  Ringgold,  on  the  railroad  leading 
to  Atlanta.  He  soon  ascertained  that  Bragg  was  at 
Lafayette,  and  was  in  position.  Seeing  this,  he  fell 
back  toward  Lookout,  crossed  the  Chickamauga  at 
Gordon's  Mills,  and  so  disposed  of  his  forces  as  to  be 
within  reach  of  Thomas,  and  yet  not  uncover  Chatta- 
nooga. All  the  gaps  in  Pigeon  Mountain  were  held 
by  Bragg,  and  it  was  now  ascertained  beyond  a  doubt 
that  he  had  been  largely  reinforced,  and  was  marching 
back  so  as  to  fight  Rosecrans's  scattered  army,  and 
regain  the  point  from  which  he  had  been  driven  by 
strategic  movements.  Then  came  the  hours  of  anxiety 
for  generals,  and  the  days  and  nights  of  forced  marches 
for  brave  but  weary  soldiers,  over  the  mountains  and 
through  the  valleys.  McCook,  who  was  seventeen 
miles  further  down  the  valley,  was  ordered  to  close  up 
on  Thomas  with  all  possible  haste,  which  he  did  after 
a  toilsome  march  of  forty-six  miles — he  having  made 
a  detour  around  and  across  Lookout,  instead  of  march- 
ing by  a  road  on  its  crest.  He  reached  Catlett's  Gap 
on  the  evening  of  the  17th — having,  by  a  mistake  he 
made  in  believing  the  reports  of  refugees  that  there 
was  no  road  on  the  mountain,  occupied  four  days  in 
marching  a  distance  which  should  have  been  accom- 
plished in  a  day  and  a  half. 

On  the  evening  of  the  18th,  the  great  movements, 
designed  to  concentrate  the  Union  army  at  a  point 
nearer  Chattanooga,  were  commenced.  McCook's 
corps  relieved  Thomas  at  Catlett's  Gap,  who  immedi- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          285 

ately  began  to  close  up  on  Crittenden,  who  was  seri- 
ously threatened  by  Bragg's  right.  Already  three 
days  of  precious  time  had  been  lost  waiting  for  the 
troops  under  McCook  to  reach  the  valley — days  em- 
ployed to  great  advantage  by  Bragg,  for  whose  rein- 
forcement troops  had  been  hurried  from  every  part  of 
the  Confederacy.  In  one  week's  time  he  had  received 
Longstreet's  veteran  troops  from  Lee's  army,  several 
brigades  from  Mobile  and  Charleston,  ten  thousand, 
under  Buckner,  from  East  Tennessee,  a  portion  of 
Johnston's  army,  from  the  Mississippi,  together  with 
thousands  of  these  whom  Grant  had  paroled  at  Vicks- 
burg.  Bragg's  army  was  thus  swelled  to  eighty  thou- 
sand— some  statements  make  it  as  high  as  one  hundred 
thousand — effective  troops. 


CHAPTER   XXIII. 

BATTLE  OF    CHICKAMAUGA — PREPARATIONS RELIGIOUS    SERVICES    ON 

THE      FIELD REYNOLDS'S     DIVISION HEROIC     CONDUCT     OF      THE 

UNION    ARMY. 

AT  five  o'clock  on  the  evening  of  the  18th,  Thomas's 
corps  was  fairly  in  motion.  Although  in  the  month 
of  September,  and  in  a  warm  climate,  it  was  very  cold, 
and  was  more  like  a  night  in  November  in  more 
northern  regions  than  a  September  evening  in  the 
sunny  South.  The  point  aimed  at  was  the  junction 
of  the  roads  in  the  Chickamauga  Valley  leading  into 
Chattanooga,  toward  which  the  enemy  was  moving  in 
great  force,  in  order  to  crush  Crittenden  and  get  be- 
tween the  river  and  the  Union  army.  Our  way,  the 
entire  distance  of  about  twelve  miles,  was  lighted  by 
burning  fences,  all  of  which,  on  each  side  of  the  road, 
were  in  a  blaze.  Not  a  single  fence  the  entire  dis- 
tance but  was  blazing,  and  no  human  power  could 
possibly  have  extinguished  the  immense  conflagration. 
The  mountains  on  either  side  could  occasionally  be 
seen  illuminated  as  the  cold,  eddying  wind,  now  and 
again,  lifted  up  the  heavy,  dark  cloud  of  smoke  which 
hung  above  us,  and  the  stars  seemed  to  shine  with  a 
pale,  ghastly  hue  from  out  the  reddish  sky,  lighted  up 
with  the  lurid  glare  from  below.  This  was  in  keeping 
(286) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  287 

with  War's  stern,  gloomy  visage,  a  fitting  accompani- 
ment to  the  fearful  scenes  of  the  morrow.  The  re- 
morseless fire  by  night  was  in  stern  keeping  with  the 
devouring  sword  by  day. 

About  four  o'clock  in  the  morning,  we  halted  for  a 
short  rest.  Our  division  had  been  engaging  the  en- 
emy during  several  days  and  nights  preceding,  and 
not  one  of  us  had  enjoyed  the  comfort  of  a  night's 
rest  for  nearly  a  week.  Men  more  weary  or  ex- 
hausted, perhaps,  never  lay  down  to  rest  upon  the 
cold  ground,  than  did  those  composing  the  Eleventh 
Ohio  on  that  eventful  morning.  Our  eyes  and  nos- 
trils were  smarting  with  pain,  caused  by  the  dense 
clouds  of  smoke  from  the  burning  woods  and  fences, 
and  we  shivered  in  the  cold  night- wind  that  swept 
down  the  valley  as  if  from  some  icy  region.  Soon 
after,  sitting  down  under  a  tree,  near  which  a  fire  was 
burning,  exhausted  nature  yielded  to  sleep's  gentle 
wooings,  and  I  became  oblivious  to  the  weary  tramp, 
tramp,  the  blinding  smoke,  and  the  choking  dust.  My 
sleep  was  sweet,  although  a  fence-rail  was  my  only 
pillow,  and  the  bleak  night-wind  chilled  my  weary 
frame,  and  the  dreams  of  that  hour's  repose  were  of 
other  and  brighter  scenes  than  those  of  a  long  and 
weary  night-march.  We  had  rested  thus  for  about  an 
hour,  when  "  Fall  in  ! — Forward  !  "  fell  gruffly  on  the 
ear  of  many  a  dreamer  who  would,  ere  another  night, 
be  sleeping  his  last  sleep  on  the  field  of  battle.  Day 
was  just  dawning  as  we  resumed  our  rapid  march, 
and  at  seven  o'clock  we  halted  near  Gordon's  Mills. 
A  short  time  was  allowed  the  troops  to  make  coffee, 
and,  in  the  straits  of  military  exigencies,  the  colonel 


288  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

and  chaplain  were  glad  to  share  with  each  other  the 
contents  of  their  haversacks. 

Scarcely  had  we  finished  our  frugal  breakfast,  when 
the  heavy  booming  of  cannon  told  that  the  conflict 
had  begun.  Preparations  were  needed  for  the  dark 
and  terrible  hours  which  were  impending.  Not  only 
does  the  body  require  nourishment,  but  the  soul  re- 
quires strength.  If  this  be  so  in  the  hours  of  peace 
and  conscious  security,  how  much  more  in  the  dread 
hour  of  battle,  and  in  the  consciousness  of  danger  and 
death!  And  then  how  necessary  to  have  grace  to 
speak  words  of  encouragement,  words  of  sympathy, 
words  of  warning  to  dear  comrades  who  may  fall 
bleeding  and  dying  on  the  field  of  strife !  And  where 
can  needed  strength  for  soul  and  body  be  secured  but 
at  a  throne  of  grace  ?  There  are  "  stones  of  memo- 
rial" which  faith  and  gratitude  have  reared  at  Bull 
Run  and  South  Mountain — at  Antietam  and  Hoover's 
Gap ;  and  there  is  one,  too,  under  a  tree  on  the  south- 
ern slopes  of  Mission  Ridge,  overlooking  bloody  Chick- 
amauga,  where  heavenly  voices  seemed  to  whisper,  in 
the  ear  of  a  weak,  trembling  servant  of  God,  those 
precious  words  :  "  For  in  the  time  of  trouble  He  shall 
hide  me  in  his  pavilion;  in  the  secret  of  his  taber- 
nacle he  shall  hide  me." 

PREPARATIONS  FOR  BATTLE — AN  IMPRESSIVE  SCENE. 

At  eight  o'clock  our  regiment  formed  in  line  of 
battle,  and  took  position  on  the  brow  of  a  hill,  about 
two  miles  north  of  Gordon's  Mills,  and  near  the  Chat- 
tanooga road.  By  this  time  the  engagement  had  be- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  289 

come  genera],  and  troops  were  rushing  forward  rap- 
idly. Feeling  anxious  to  have  one  more  opportunity 
of  speaking  a  word  of  encouragement  to  the  patriot 
soldiers  who  were  about_to  enter  into  the  very  jaws 
of  death,  and  many  of  whom,  perhaps,  would  never 
hear  words  of  prayer  upon  earth  again,  I  rode  up  to 
Colonel  Lane,  and  asked  just  five  minutes'  time  to 
pray  with  them  before  going  into  action.  "Certainly," 
was  his  instant  reply.  "  I  wish  you  would  have  serv- 
ices; I  think  there  will  be  time." 

Another  pen  must  describe  the  scene  as  witnessed 
by  others  on  the  morning  of  that  eventful  day.  Says 
a  correspondent: 

"General  Turchin's  brigade  of  Reynolds's  division, 
Thomas's  corps,  consisting  of  the  Eleventh  Ohio, 
Colonel  Lane;  the  Thirty-sixth  Ohio,  Colonel  Jones; 
the  Ninety-second  Ohio,  Colonel  Fearing,  and  the 

Eighteenth  Kentucky,  Colonel ,  took  position 

on  a  low  spur  of  the  ridge  near  the  Chattanooga  road, 
and  in  the  rear  of  the  tannery  already  spoken  of.  Be- 
fore the  skirmishers  were  deployed,  a  scene  occurred 
with  the  Eleventh,  which,  for  sublimity  and  moving 
power,  has  been  seldom  surpassed.  The  chaplain  rode 
up  in  front  of  the  line,  and  the  colonel  gave  an  order 
which,  on  being  executed,  formed  the  regiment  in  two 
divisions,  with  the  chaplain  in  the  center.  Without 
dismounting,  he  addressed  the  troops  in  a  clear,  loud 
voice,  that  sounded  strangely  amid  the  loud  explosions 
of  the  artillery  and  the  rattle  of  musketry.  He  spoke 
about  the  holy  cause  for  which  they  were  to  fight  that 
day;  that  it  was  not  for  territory  or  revenge  or  mili- 
25 


290          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

tary  glory;  but  for  home  and  country,  for  liberty  and 
truth,  for  GOD  AND  HUMANITY  ! 

"'It  is  but  little  I  can  do  for  you,'  said  he,  'in  the 
hour  of  battle ;  but  there  is  one  thing  I  will  do — I  will 
pray  for  you.  And  there  are  thousands  all  over  the 
land  praying  for  you  this  morning,  and  God  will  hear 
them.  You  must  now  pray,  too ;  for  God  is  a  hearer 
of  prayer.  And  if  this  is  the  last  time  I  shall  ever 
speak  to  you,  or  if  these  are  the  last  words  of  Chris- 
tian comfort  you  will  ever  hear,  I  want  to  tell  you, 
dear  comrades,  that  GOD  LOVES  YOU.  I  pray  God  to 
cover  your  heads  to-day  in  the  battle-storm.  I  pray 
that  he  may  give  you  brave  hearts  and  strong  hands 
to-day.  Be  brave — be  manly!  Remember  the  dear 
old  flag,  and  what  it  covers.  And  if  any  of  you  feel 
uncertain  as  to  your  future,  0  look  to  the  Savior  who 
died  for  you ;  and,  if  any  of  you  fall  this  day  in  battle, 
may  you  not  only  die  as  brave  soldiers  for  your  coun- 
try, but  die  as  soldiers  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ !  Let 
us  pray.' 

"Instantly  every  head  was  uncovered  and  bowed  in 
reverence,  while  hands  were  clasped  on  the  rifles,  the 
bayonets  on  which  were  gleaming  in  the  morning  sun. 
The  flag,  pierced  and  rent  on  a  dozen  battlefields,  was 
drooped,  and,  strange  but  glorious  sound  on  a  battle- 
field, the  voice  of  prayer  was  heard.  The  blessings 
of  the  Almighty  were  invoked  upon  the  army,  upon 
the  generals,  upon  regimental  officers,  on  our  bleeding 
country,  and  upon  the  issues  of  that  day.  Loved 
ones  at  home  were  remembered,  and  God's  blessing 
invoked  upon  all  who  might  fall  in  battle.  When  the 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  291 

chaplain  closed,  he  raised  himself  in  his  saddle,  waved 
his  hat  two  or  three  times  around  his  head,  exclaim- 
ing, *  God  bless  you  to-day,  dear  comrades,  and  make 
you  strong  and  brave !  Strike  for  Liberty  and  Union ! 
strike  for  God  and  Humanity !  and  may  our  battle- 
torn  flag  lead  to  victory  this  day !  God's  presence  be 
with  you,  comrades  ! ' 

"  A  low,  murmuring  Amen  was  heard  from  the  ranks 
as  the  chaplain  closed.  Major-General  Reynolds  and 
staff  passed  along  the  lines  during  the  services,  but 
halted  when  they  came  to  the  Eleventh.  With  un- 
covered head,  the  General  rode  up  close  to  the  regi- 
ment, and  remained  till  the  conclusion  of  the  brief 
services.  At  the  moment  they  were  concluded,  he  ut- 
tered a  hearty  Amen,  which  had  a  thrilling  effect. 
Grasping  the  chaplain's  hand  and  shaking  it  warmly, 
while  a  tear  glistened  on  his  manly  cheek,  he  was  heard 
to  exclaim,  l  Sir,  I  am  glad  I  was  here  to  join  with  you ! ' 
and  instantly  rode  off,  followed  by  his  staff.  This  ac- 
knowledgment of  religious  principle,  on  the  part  of 
General  Reynolds,  had  a  very  happy  effect." 

Scarcely  five  minutes  elapsed  till  the  entire  brigade 
moved  forward  and  engaged  the  enemy. 

When  the.  battle  opened  on  the  morning  of  the  19th, 
the  lines  extended  nearly  three  miles,  and  the  fierce, 
fiery  conflict  raged  through  valleys  and  ravines,  along 
hill-sides  and  amid  dense  forests,  over  plowed  fields 
and  dead  clearings. 

In  many  places  the  battle-lines  could  be  distinguished 
only  by  dense  clouds  of  dust  that  rose  up  in  long,  red- 
dish lines,  and  by  white,  vapory  smoke  that  rolled  in 
great  clouds  through  the  woods,  or  rose  above  the  for- 


292  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

est  trees,  and  rolled  along  the  sharp  ridges  and  sweep- 
ing hill-sides.  Sometimes,  the  long  lines  of  dust  and 
the  wreathing,  rolling  smoke  from  artillery  would  re- 
cede or  advance,  be  thrown  suddenly  into  sharp  angles, 
or  formed  gradually  into  swelling  curves,  indicating 
the  ebb  and  flow  of  the  fearful,  mighty  tide-wave  of 
battle.  I  had  heard  the  roar  of  battle  at  Bull  Run, 
had  felt  the  earth  quiver  under  the  fierce  conflicts  of 
South  Mountain  and  Antietam,  but  the  incessant  roar 
of  artillery  and  musketry  on  this  terrible  day  seemed 
to  exceed  all  three  battlefields  combined.  The  mus- 
ketry was  neither  in  distinct  shots  nor  in  repeated 
volleys,  but  for  hours  it  was  one  mighty,  fearful,  con- 
tinuous roll,  which,  added  to  the  shouts  of  the  com- 
batants, as  they  charged -to  and  fro  like  the  surging 
tide-waves  on  the  shore,  together  with  the  loud,  deep 
booming  and  crashing  of  the  artillery,  seemed  more 
like  the  mighty  roar  of  a  dozen  Niagaras  than  any 
thing  merely  human. 

From  all  the  indications  during  the  forenoon  of  this 
day,  and  even  till  late  in  the  afternoon,  it  was  evident 
that  the  great  struggle  was  for  the  roads  leading  into 
Chattanooga.  On  the  preceding  evening,  the  18th, 
Crittenden  was  on  the  left,  menaced  by  the  right  of 
the  rebel  army.  Bragg  was  massing  his  forces  at  that 
point,  so  as  to  crush  Crittenden  and  get  possession  of 
the  roads,  and  with  them  Chattanooga.  But,  during 
the  previous  night,  Thomas  had  swept  his  corps  past 
Crittenden's  rear,  and  formed  on  the  extreme  left,  thus 
throwing  Crittenden  in  the  center.  By  this  memor- 
able night  march,  and  swift  secret  movements,  he 
covered  all  the  roads  and  gaps,  so  that  when  Bragg 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE.  293 

began  to  move  his  massed  columns,  on  the  morning  of 
the  19th,  he  was  confronted  by  the  veteran  troops  of 
Thomas,  already  in  position.  Hence  the  opening  of 
the  battle  so  fiercely  on  the  left,  and  hence  the  con- 
tinual edging  away  of  the  line  of  battle  in  that  direc- 
tion. Bragg  brought  up  column  after  column,  and 
hurled  them  in  rapid  succession,  and  with  reckless 
desperation,  against  the  extreme  left.  It  was  Chatta- 
nooga or  nothing.  About  twelve  o'clock,  he  hurled  a 
massed  column  on  Thomas's  right,  where  Reynolds's 
division  was  in  position,  and  followed  this  up  by  suc- 
cessive attacks  at  various  points  till  the  battle  raged 
along  the  entire  line.  And  thus  the  conflict  was  waged 
during  the  whole  day,  every  evidence  being  given  not 
only  of  a  hotly  contested  field,  but  of  greatly  superior 
numbers  being  in  front  of  the  Union  army. 

A  CLOSE  PLACE — A  TWO-FORTY  GALLOP. 

While  following  the  regiment,  in  company  with  the 
surgeons,  a  rebel  sharp-shooter,  concealed  in  the  trees, 
sent  a  ball  whizzing  among  us — whether  aimed  at  Dr. 
McCurdy  or  myself,  I  do  not  know ;  but  it  passed  un- 
comfortably close  to  my  head.  An  inch  or  two,  more 
or  less,  and  these  "Lights  and  Shadows"  would  not 
have  troubled  any  one.  It  is  said  that  "  a  miss  is  as 
good  as  a  mile."  It  may  be  so — but  if  a  Minie  ball 
misses  one's  head  just  by  about  an  inch,  the  sensation 
produced  is  not  quite  as  comfortable  as  if  it  was  a 
mile  further  off.  At  this  juncture  an  entire  change 
took  place  in  the  relative  position  of  the  several  regi- 
ments. The  Eleventh  made  a  sudden  movement  to 


294          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

the  left,  and  took  position  in  the  woods.  It  moved 
again  to  the  right,  to  relieve  a  regiment  whose  ammu- 
nition was  exhausted,  and  we  got  so  bewildered  with 
the  rapid  changes  going  on,  that  we  found  it  impos- 
sible to  find  it,  or  even  to  follow.  Taking  another 
direction,  toward  where  the  firing  was  heaviest,  we 
were  soon  made  aware  of  the  fact  that  the  rear  is  not 
always  the  place  of  safety.  To  say  that  the  bullets 
whistled  around  us  like  hail,  might  seem  extravagant, 
but  I  can  compare  it  to  nothing  else.  The  incessant 
roll  and  rattle  and  crash  were  fearful.  The  peculiar 
hum,  whiz,  and  shriek  of  rifle-balls,  which  give  one 
the  idea  of  fiery  arrows  cutting  the  air,  grew  louder 
and  louder,  while  the  chipping  of  leaves  and  twigs 
told  better  than  words  can  do  of  the  thickly  flying  mis- 
siles of  death.  My  horse  gave  a  plunge  and  a  snort — 
poetic  enough  in  a  painting,  perhaps,  but  very  start- 
ling and  practical  just  then.  Whether  a  spent  ball  or 
a  piece  of  gravel  thrown  up  by  the  shot  struck  him  or 
not,  I  do  not  know ;  but  he  gave  a  jump  as  if  he  would 
fly  from  under  me,  and,  but  for  a  military  bit,  would 
doubtless  have  become  unmanageable.  Hitherto  he 
had  stood  fire  well — did  not  seem  to  pay  much  atten- 
tion to  the  artillery  or  musketry — but  at  this  moment 
he  became  almost  wild.  It  was  little  wonder.  There 
was  a  strange  surging  to  and  fro  of  the  combatants, 
while  the  rattle  of  musketry  and  the  explosions  of  ar- 
tillery made  the  very  earth  tremble.  What  with  the 
noise  of  battle  in  front,  and  the  noise  of  rushing  troops 
coining  up  behind,  it  was  enough  to  bewilder  and  try 
the  nerves  of  either  man  or  horse.  In  a  few  minutes 
there  was  that  advancing,  wavy  sound  that  tells  of 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          295 

movements  the  wrong  way!  Our  troops  were  being 
driven!  The  surgeons  became  somewhat  bewildered, 
and  rode  almost  at  right  angles  to  the  line  of  fire,  and 
toward  the  point  of  greatest  danger.  Giving  one 
glance  at  what  seemed  "the  only  outlet,  I  gave  my 
horse  an  unusually  vigorous  touch  with  the  spur,  by 
way  of  bringing  him  to  his  senses,  and,  holding  a  tight 
rein,  dashed  out  on  the  open  field.  There  was  a  deep 
ditch  and  a  rail  fence  right  ahead.  Could  my  noble 
gray  leap  both?  Leap  he  must,  or  break  his  own 
neck,  and  mine,  too,  perhaps.  He  nerved  himself  for 
the  leap,  cleared  the  ditch  handsomely — a  few  more 
steps,  and  he  bounded  over  the  fence  like  a  deer. 
Then  came  the  trying  moment.  The  enemy  had  par- 
tially broken  our  lines,  and  came  tearing  down  like 
demons,  sweeping  the  open  field  with  grape  and  can- 
ister, and,  as  I  rode  through  it,  it  was  plowed  up  by 
the  shot,  which,  as  it  fell,  threw  up  clouds  of  dust. 
By  the  protecting  care  of  a  merciful  God  we  passed 
through  the  fiery  ordeal  unscathed;  but  nothing  else 
than  his  Almighty  arm  saved  us.  Some  of  our  men, 
who  saw  the  whole  affair,  expressed  their  wonder  at 
the  escape,  and  made  free  to  insinuate,  by  way  of 
friendly  advice,  that  the  chaplain  had  better  "keep 
out  of  the  muss." 

The  whole  thing  seemed  to  occupy  but  a  moment, 
so  rapid  were  the  changes.  But  it  was  a  critical  mo- 
ment. The  balance  seemed  poised.  Our  lines  had 
been  partially  broken  by  the  massing  of  the  enemy's 
troops,  and  they  were  following  up  their  advantage  by 
a  deadly  and  destructive  fire.  But  regiment  after 
regiment  of  our  brave  boys  rushed  forward,  with  loud 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

cheers  and  streaming  banners,  toward  the  breach,  and, 
in  a  short  time,  sent  the  foe  reeling  back.  As  I  write 
these  lines,  I  can  hardly  imagine  the  fact  mentioned  to 
have  been  any  thing  like  a  living  reality — an  actual 
occurrence — but  rather  some  wild  dream,  the  remem- 
brance of  which  still  haunts  me. 

TURCHIN'S  BRIGADE. 

Meanwhile  our  entire  brigade,  under  the  gallant 
Turchin,  was  hotly  engaged.  The  Thirty-sixth  and 
Ninety-second  Ohio  were  on  the  left,  as  well  as  the 
Eighteenth  Kentucky.  The  Eleventh  was  on  the 
right.  The  rebel  force  was  so  sheltered  by  dense 
woods  that  they  could  make  attacks  almost  with  im- 
punity; as  they  had  their  sharp-shooters,  armed  with 
long-range  rifles,  posted  in  the  trees,  they  picked  off 
both  officers  and  men  with  great  rapidity.  The  Elev- 
enth lay  for  some  time  exposed  to  the  galling  fire 
of  rebel  skirmishers  and  sharp-shooters,  till  at  last 
they  could  stand  it  no  longer,  and  begged  permission 
to  clear  the  woods  with  the  bayonet.  Colonel  Lane 
finally  gave  the  order,  when  the  men  sprang  forward 
with  a  cheer,  and  charged  upon  the  rebels  as  they  lay 
under  cover  of  the  woods,  driving  them  half  a  mile, 
and  capturing,  at  the  same  time,  a  number  of  pris- 
oners. In  this  charge  the  color-bearer,  Sergeant 
Peck,  was  wounded.  His  brother,  Lieutenant  Peck, 
instantly  seized  the  colors,  and  led  the  line  in  the 
most  gallant  manner.  In  a  short  time  the  rebels  at- 
tempted to  drive  in  the  right  of  the  division,  but,  by 
a  brilliant  movement,  they  were  again  driven  back  at 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  297 

the  point  of  the  bayonet.  In  this  charge,  Colonel 
Jones,  of  the  Thirty-sixth  Ohio,  was  killed,  and  Colonel 
Fearing,  of  the  Ninety-second,  and  Major  Adney,  of 
the  Thirty-sixth  Ohio,  severely  wounded.  Another 
attempt  was  made  to"  break  our  lines  just  about 
dark,  but  the  enemy  failed  to  gain  any  advantage,  al- 
though the  attacks  were  made  by  greatly  superior 
numbers. 

And  so  the  day  of  battle  wore  on,  till  the  shadows 
of  evening  began  to  fall  upon  the  wooded  slopes  and 
deep  ravines  of  Chickamauga  and  Mission  Ridge,  re- 
vealing, in  more  startling  vividness,  the  sharp  flash 
of  the  musket,  and  the  dull,  red  glare  of  the  cannon. 
Thousands  of  the  good  and  brave  and  noble  had  fallen, 
and  were  bleeding,  fainting,  dying,  on  that  field  of  fierce, 
fiery  strife.  Human  bosoms  had  been  bared  to  the 
incessant  storm  of  shot  and  shell  that  had  been  howl- 
ing and  crashing  from  early  morn  till  the  shadows  of 
night  hid  the  combatants  from  each  other!  Many  a 
noble-hearted  boy,  upon  whose  head  a  mother's  hand 
had  been  placed  in  blessing,  as  she  gave  him  up,  trem- 
blingly and  tearfully,  for  her  country  and  humanity, 
had  fallen  that  day,  whose  last  thoughts  of  earth  were 
of  mother  and  home,  and  whose  last  whisper,  let  us 
hope,  was  a  whisper  of  Christ  and  heaven.  Many  a 
loving  husband  and  father,  as  he  lay  there,  mangled 
and  dying,  thought  of  dear  wife  and  children,  and 
home,  sweet  home,  and  mingled  their  names  with  that 
of  the  Savior  as  he  closed  his  eyes  in  death !  But, 
alas !  alas !  painful  thoughts  crowd  upon  the  mind 
when  contemplating  the  sad  scenes  of  the  battlefield, 
and  the  question  arises — How  many  went  into  that 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

conflict  thoughtless  and  godless — without  the  peace 
and  joy  of  salvation  or  the  hopes  of  heaven  ?  Alas  ! 
the  answer  to  such  a  question  is  one  which  is  painful 
in  the  extreme  to  him  who  looks  upon  human  destiny 
in  the  light  of  revealed  truth,  and  in  reference  to  the 
eternity  of  moral  character. 

NIGHT  ON  THE  FIELD. 

Night,  chilly  and  disagreeable,  drew  on  apace,  and 
the  dark  shadows  came  down  alike  on  friend  and  foe. 
The  wounded  were  taken  to  the  rear  as  rapidly  as 
possible,  and  during  the  entire  night  lanterns  glim- 
mered over  the  field,  showing  where  the  work  of  re- 
lieving sufferers  was  going  on,  while,  at  the  same  time, 
the  train  of  ambulances  was  kept  going  to  and  fro, 
continually.  As  I  walked  among  the  wounded  and 
dying,  trying  to  relieve  where  relief  was  available, 
and  comfort  the  dying  where  death  was  inevitable,  I 
felt  unutterably  sad.  The  confusion,  dust,  and  noise, 
the  trampling  of  horses,  the  rumbling  of  heavy  artil- 
lery, the  groaning  of  the  wounded  and  dying,  the 
camp-fires  burning  dimly,  all  made  a  scene  never  to 
be  forgotten.  It  was  a  bleak,  cold  night.  The  poor 
sufferers,  as  they  lay  covered  with  dust  and  blood, 
shivered  in  the  cold  night-wind  which  swept  over  the 
field,  and  my  very  heart  ached  for  many  of  the  poor 
fellows,  who  shook  as  if  in  an  ague  fit,  while  having 
their  wounds  dressed.  Many  of  them  were  so  chilled 
with  the  cold  wind,  and  from  loss  of  blood,  that  their 
teeth  rattled  against  the  tin  cups  from  which  they 
drank  the  warm  coffee  with  which  they  were  supplied. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          299 

The  hospital  arrangements  were  somewhat  imperfect, 
so  far  as  supplies  were  concerned ;  and  blankets  or 
coverings  of  any  kind  (aside  from  what  some  of  the 
men  had  themselves),  could  not  be  found  to  cover  the 
cold  and  bleeding  soldiers.  As  the  night  advanced, 
large  fires  were  kindled  at  every  field  hospital,  warm 
tea  and  coffee  prepared,  and  every  one  made  as  com- 
fortable as  possible  under  the  circumstances.  When 
I  had  worked  as  long  as  it  was  possible  to  do,  and  ex- 
hausted nature  could  stand  it  no  longer,  I  lay  down 
myself  to  rest,  surrounded  by  the  groaning  wounded 
and  by  the  silent  dead !  I  passed  a  night  of  misery. 
Cold  and  weary,  as  I  had  never  been  before,  crushed 
in  spirit  by  the  terrible  scenes  of  wounding  and  death 
among  which  I  had  moved  that  day,  and  by  which  I 
was  yet  surrounded,  no  covering  with  which  to  keep 
warm,  nor  a  quiet  place  in  which  to  rest,  I  could  only 
think  of  the  thousands  and  tens  of  thousands  who  were 
in  agony  all  around  me,  and  I  thanked  God  fervently 
for  the  blessings  and  mercies  of  the  day ;  and,  taking 
some  precious  texts  as  the  best  of  pillows  for  a  weary 
head  and  aching  heart,  fell  asleep. 

SABBATH  AT  CHICKAMAUGA. 

An  anxious  council  of  war  was  held  at  "Widow 
Glen's"  house  on  Saturday  night.  "Each  corps  com- 
mander reported  that  every  brigade  had  been  in  that 
day's  fight,  that  the  troops  had  acted  finely;  but  all 
agreed  that,  in  every  severe  attack  made  upon  us,  we 
had  been  invariably  outnumbered.  It  was  plain  that 
the  next  day's  contest  must  be  for  the  preservation  of 


800          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

the  army,  and  the  holding  of  Chattanooga."  *  The 
general  plan  adopted  for  the  second  day's  battle  was 
read  to  the  assembled  corps  commanders,  and  the 
orders  connected  therewith  were  issued  to  the  army 
at  one  o'clock  on  Sabbath  morning.  At  early  dawn, 
General  Rosecrans  rode  along  the  front,  inspecting  the 
lines  and  so  disposing  of  the  troops  as  to  resist  the 
combined  efforts  that  would  be  made  to  destroy  the 
Union  army.  Second  only  to  this,  Bragg's  great  aim 
was  to  gain  Chattanooga. 

The  Sabbath's  sun  finally  shone  out  clear  and  beauti- 
ful above  the  smoke  that  lay  like  a  pall  over  the  valley. 
It  was  expected  the  enemy  would  attack  as  soon  as 
day  dawned,  but,  with  the  exception  of  occasional 
picket  firing,  it  was  eight  o'clock  before  the  battle 
was  renewed.  The  conflict  of  the  day  opened,  as  was 
expected,  on  the  extreme  left,  and  the  determination 
of  the  rebels  to  overwhelm  Thomas,  who  was  holding 
the  approaches  to  Chattanooga,  was  soon  apparent,  for 
they  hurled  their  massed  columns  against  him  with  the 
greatest  fury  and  desperation.  During  the  night,  our 
troops  had  thrown  up  temporary  breastworks  of  logs 
and  stones,  and,  as  they  kept  behind  these,  or  lay  on 
the  ground,  rising  up  only  to  pour  their  volleys  into 
the  attacking  columns,  the  rebel  loss  was  very  great. 
By  ten  o'clock,  the  fierce  roar  of  battle  was  at  its 
hight,  and  the  conflict  raged  with  terrible  fury  along 
the  whole  lines,  but  on  the  left  and  left  center  the 
contest  was  the  fiercest  and  most  determined.  Long- 
street's  men,  as  they  came  up  in  solid  columns,  flushed 

*  Rosecrans' s  Keport. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  301 

with  the  hope  of  crushing  the  Western  troops,  would 
exultingly  shout,  "We  are  not  conscripts!"  to  which 
the  reply  was  given : 

"  You  are  not  fighting  Eastern  store-clerks." 

"We  are  Longstreet's  troops!"  shouted  some  of 
them,  in  front  of  the  Eleventh  and  Thirty-sixth — to 
which  our  men  replied,  with  a  derisive  yell : 

"Who  drove  you  at  South  Mountain?  We  are  the 
boys  that  drove  you  there,  and  we  '11  do  it  again ! " 

At  about  midday,  matters  were  so  serious  on  the 
left  and  center,  that  division  after  division  had  to  be 
sent  to  succor  Thomas,  who  was  contending  against 
fearful  odds.  Indeed,  the  army  at  large,  in  order  to 
meet  the  massed  columns  of  the  enemy,  which  were 
being  rapidly  concentrated  against  Thomas,  had  to  be 
continually  closed  up  on  the  left.  It  was  during  one 
of  those  movements  that  a  mistake  occurred  which 
came  nigh  resulting  in  the  ruin  of  the  Union  army. 
"  Orders  were  dispatched,"  says  Rosecrans,  in  his  clear 
report,  "  to  General  Wood  to  close  up  on  Reynolds,  and 
word  was  sent  to  General  Thomas  that  he  should  be 
supported,  even  if  it  took  away  the  whole  corps  of 
Crittenden  and  McCook."  General  Wood,  overlook- 
ing the  orders  to  close  up  on  General  Reynolds,  passed 
to  the  rear  of  General  Brannan,  who  was  somewhat  in 
the  rear  of  Reynolds,  which  left  a  gap  in  the  battle 
line  between  Thomas  and  McCook.  The  right  flank 
of  Reynolds's  division  was  thus  exposed,  as  was,  also, 
McCook' s  left.  Through  this  open  gap  the  rebels 
poured  with  deafening  cheers,  carrying  all  before  them. 
The  writer  was  close  by  at  the  time  this  scene  oc- 
curred, and,  assuredly,  it  looked  forbidding  enough. 


302          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

The  -first  intimation  that  Reynolds  had  of  the  state  of 
affairs,  was  a  destructive  cross-fire  from  the  right,  and, 
finally,  solid  shot  and  shell  from  the  rear.  All  seemed 
to  be  lost ;  for  the  enemy,  taking  advantage  of  the  gap 
made  in  the  battle-front,  had  not  only  crushed  Crit- 
tenden,  and  swept  back  the  few  brigades  that  were  sent 
in  to  stay  the  torrent  of  disaster,  but  they  were  mass- 
ing in  the  rear  of  Reynolds.  The  entire  corps  held  its 
own  bravely,  but  it  could  hardly  be  expected  to  con- 
tinue to  do  so  for  any  length  of  time,  for  the  whole 
rebel  army  was  now  hurled  fiercely  and  exultantly 
against  it.  Prompt,  fearless,  decided  action  Avas  now 
necessary,  or  disaster  would  be  inevitable.  The  am- 
munition and  supply-trains  were  exposed,  two  of  the 
gaps  in  the  ridge  were  open  to  the  Chattanooga  road, 
on  which  our  trains  were  now  moving,  and  the  rebel 
torrent  must  be  stayed,  at  whatever  cost.  Reynolds 
was  ordered  to  disperse  the  force  massing  in  the  rear. 
Their  artillery  was  already  in  position,  and  was  rapidly 
thinning  our  ranks.  The  sharp-shooters  in  the  trees 
were  picking  off  our  men  with  impunity,  insomuch 
that  nearly  one  half  of  Company  D,  of  the  Eleventh, 
were  killed  or  wounded  in  the  space  of  half  an  hour. 
General  Turchin's  brigade,  consisting  of  the  Eleventh, 
Thirty-sixth,  and  Ninty-second  Ohio,  and  Eighteenth 
Kentucky,  was  formed  for  a  charge  on  the  massed 
forces  in  the  rear,  the  infantry  and  cavalry  of  which 
could  be  distinctly  seen  advancing.  The  order  was 
given  to  march  by  the  rear  rank — "about  face" — and 
the  brigade,  starting  on  the  double-quick,  was  hurled 
in  a  bayonet-charge  against  the  enemy  with  almost  as 
much  precision  and  order  as  if  it  had  been  on  dresa 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF    ARMY  LITE.  303 

parade,  and  all  this,  too,  while  the  very  air  seemed  dark- 
ened with  the  missiles  of  death,  the  ground  shaking  as 
if  in  the  throes  of  an  earthquake  from  the  incessant 
roar  and  crash  of  artillery  and  the  rolling  rattle  of 
musketry.  As  Colonel  Lane  remarked,  it  seemed  as  if 
the  explosions  "raised  the  hats  off  our  heads."  The 
concussion  of  the  air  was  painful,  the  noise  so  deafening 
that  orders  could  not  be  heard,  and  the  smoke  and  dust 
in  such  dense  clouds  that  objects  at  a  distance  could 
hardly  be  seen.  General  Reynolds,  waving  his  sword, 
led  the  charge  in  person.  Calm,  reverent,  and  happy 
as  a  Christian,  he  joined  us  in  our  devotions  on  the 
morning  the  battle  opened.  A  tear  of  religious  emo- 
tion trickled  down  his  weather-beaten  cheek,  while  a 
fervent  Amen !  that  thrilled  every  heart,  burst  from 
his  lips,  and  now,  bravely  as  a  Christian  soldier,  he  led 
his  troops  in  that  desperate  charge — the  most  despe- 
rate made  on  that  bloody  field.  On  the  left  and  front 
and  rear  the  enemy  was  in  massed  line  of  battle ;  but 
away  went  the  Ohio  boys,  charging  bayonet  back  on 
the  massed  columns  of  the  enemy,  which  had  closed 
around  them.  Onward  they  rushed,  like  a  resistless 
wave  of  gleaming  steel,  cheering  and  yelling  as  they 
charged  on  the  dense  masses  of  traitors  who  hoped 
to  stay  them.  Their  charge  was  irresistible  —  so 
thought  the  rebels  —  as  onward  and  onward  they 
rushed  through  one  line  of  battle,  a  second,  a  third, 
and  a  part  of  a  fourth,  till  they  pierced  the  entire  bat- 
tle-line of  seven  deep,  brought  off  a  number  of  prison- 
ers, charged  on  two  batteries  on  their  way  out,  brought 
off  one  gun,  and  gained  a  position  on  Mission  Ridge. 
But  the  work  was  not  yet  accomplished.  In  the 


304          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LITE. 

terrible  noise,  and  amid  the  smoke  and  dust,  orders 
could  not  be  heard,  and,  before  reaching  one  of  the 
spurs  of  Mission  Ridge,  the  brigade  got  divided — one 
part  following  Turchin  on  the  left,  and  the  other  Rey- 
nolds on  the  right,  neither  party  being  aware  of  the 
fate  of  the  other.  On  coming  to  a  halt,  the  party 
under  Reynolds,  comprising  portions  of  the  Eleventh, 
Thirth-sixth,  and  Ninety-second  Ohio  Regiments,  was 
re-formed,  and  measures  taken  to  reach  the  main  body 
of  the  army.  On  marching  forward — it  was  now  nearly 
dusk — the  junction  of  Ringgold  and  Rossville  roads 
was  reached.  There  was,  at  this  point,  a  dense  forest 
of  heavy  timber,  rendered  still  more  dense  by  a  heavy 
undergrowth,  which  rendered  any  further  movement 
very  critical.  General  Reynolds,  accompanied  by  two 
orderlies,  went  forward  himself  and  reconnoitered  the 
ground.  He  discovered  a  heavy  force  of  the  enemy 
in  position  there,  and  any  further  progress  in  that  di- 
rection had  to  be  abandoned.  This  portion  of  the 
brigade  was  marched  back  a  little  distance,  to  a  log- 
house,  which  had  been  used  as  a  hospital,  and  General 
Reynolds  and  Colonel  Lane  held  a  consultation,  the 
result  of  which  was,  that  it  was  thought  better  to 
halt  a  short  time  there  and  wait  further  developments. 
While  performing  the  movements  indicated,  artillery 
had  been  frequently  firing  upon  pur  brigade  from  the 
left,  and  it  was  thought  that  these  being  rebel  guns,  we 
were  still  surrounded. 

The  smoke  was  hanging  heavily  over  the  valley, 
and  now  the  shades  of  evening  were  drawing  on,  and 
distant  objects  were  getting  more  and  more  obscured. 
Presently,  amid  the  rifted  smoke,  and  away  on  a  higher 


LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  305 

ridge,  a  flag  is  seen  streaming  in  the  wind,  but  its 
color  can  hardly  be  made  out.  A  man  is  seen  cau- 
tiously approaching,  gun  in  hand.  He  is  one  of  our 
men ;  for  his  uniform,  although  dusty  and  soiled,  is 
"  Union  blue." 

"Whose  lines  are  those?" 

"Ours!"  is  the  welcome  answer,  which  makes  a 
hundred  hearts  leap  with  joy  and  pride. 

In  a  few  minutes  the  weary  but  dauntless  band  reach 
the  outer  picket-line,  and  there,  clear,  beautiful,  glori- 
ous in  the  evening  breeze,  and  amid  the  smoke  and 
dust,  floats  the  dear  old  flag!  Here  is  the  rest  of  the 
division,  thought  to  have  been  captured !  Cheer  after 
cheer  goes  up,  in  welcome  to  the  smaller  band  just 
come  in,  and  who  were  also  thought  to  have  been  either 
killed  or  captured.  What  a  hearty  shaking  of  hands ! 
What  a  trickling  of  joyous  tears  over  weather-beaten, 
powder-stained  cheeks !  What  expressions  of  joy  and 
gladness  burst  from  manly  bosoms!  0,  that  was  a 
moment  and  those  were  scenes  that  will  never  be  for- 
gotten ! 

Here  were  Granger's  troops,  that  had  come  up  to 
stay  the  rebel  torrent,  and  prevent  the  enemy  from 
overwhelming  Thomas's  right.  The  lines  were  again 
formed,  Thomas  presented  an  unbroken  and  defiant 
front,  McCook  and  Crittenden  had  swept  around  be- 
tween Mission  Ridge  and  Lookout — McCook's  troops, 
or  part  of  them,  had  been  thrown  across  the  narrow 
valley  to  protect  our  trains  sweeping  around  into 
Chattanooga — signal  rockets  were  going  up  through 
and  above  the  heavy  clouds  of  smoke  and  dust,  the 
last  gun  from  Granger's  batteries  growled  a  fiercely 
26 


306          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS  OP  ARMY  LITE. 

defiant  salute,  and  night — silent,  solemn  night — came 
down  upon  that  battle-swept  field,  on  which  were  ly- 
ing twenty  thousand  bleeding  men! 

And  so  ended  the  battle  of  Chickamauga. 

The  rebel  army  had  possession  of  the  field,  they 
largely  outnumbered  the  Union  forces,  they  fought 
upon  ground  of  their  own  choosing,  they  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  serious  mistake  on  the  part  of  a  division 
commander,  but,  to  all  intents  and  purposes,  they  lost 
the  objects  for  which  they  fought  so  desperately — the 
destruction  of  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  and  the 
possession  of  Chattanooga.  Neither  of  these  they 
gained;  for  Thomas,  with  his  veteran  troops,  held  the 
rebels  in  check,  and,  like  a  lion  at  bay,  fought  them, 
•without  giving  an  inch,  till,  on  the  Tuesday  following, 
he  fell  back  to  the  rest  of  the  army,  to  an  intrenched 
position  around  Chattanooga. 


CHAPTER  XXIV. 

WILDER'S    BRIGADE  AND  LONGSTREET'S  VETERANS — WAR  is  TERRI- 
BLE  HAPPY  MEETINGS  AFTER  THE   BATTLE. 

WILDER'S  BRIGADE — A  TERRIBLE  SCENE. 

WILDER'S  mounted  brigade  was  stationed  in  a  strip 
of  woods  near  to  the  open  field  spoken  of  in  a  former 
chapter,  and  which  will  he  ever  fresh  in  the  writer's 
memory  as  a  scene  of  personal  exposure  and  deliv- 
erance on  that  fearful  battlefield.  At  the  time  when 
the  line  was  temporarily  broken,  Longstreet's  men 
were  seen  tearing  along  through  this  open  field,  yelp- 
ing and  yelling — it  was  always  easy  to  distinguish  the 
loud,  prolonged  cheer  of  the  Union  boys  from  the 
short,  sharp  yelp  of  the  rebels — as  they  came  up  in 
solid  column.  Wilder  threw  volley  after  volley  feito 
their  very  faces,  which  was  continued  without  interrup- 
tion— his  men  being  armed  with  the  Spencer  rifle,  or 
seven-shooter.  He  also  opened  his  battery  upon 
them,  every  gun  being  double-shotted  with  deadly 
canister  and  grape.  The  effect  was  terrific.  The 
head  of  the  massed  column  wavered  and  fell  like  the 
grass  before  the  mower's  scythe,  and  seemed  to  melt 
away  or  sink  into  the  ground.  The  reader  may  form 
an  idea  of  the  fearful  slaughter,  when  it  is  stated  that, 

(307) 


308          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

although  the  columns  kept  moving  on  across  the  open 
field,  those  in  front  being  pushed  on  by  those  behind, 
yet  the  head  of  the  constantly  advancing  column  came 
no  nearer.  It  seemed  to  dwindle,  as  if  the  breath  of 
the  destroying  angel  continually  swept  it  away ! 

Across  the  field  ran  a  deep  ditch  or  gully  about  five 
feet  wide,  and  toward  this  the  rebels  rushed  as  a  ready 
means  for  protection  from  the  incessant  storm  of  bul- 
lets and  canister  that  drove  remorselessly  into  their 
very  faces,  and  which  would  form,  also,  a  rifle-pit,  from 
•which  they  might,  with  more  safety,  return  the  fire. 
In  a  few  minutes  this  deep  ditch  was  crowded  full, 
and  from  it  began  to  come  sheets  of  flame  and 
showers  of  lead.  Quicker  than  it  can  be  described 
in  writing,  Wilder  wheeled  two  pieces  of  artillery, 
double-shotted  with  the  deadly  canister,  to  the  mouth 
or  entrance  of  the  ditch,  and  poured  volley  after  volley 
along  its  entire  length.  The  missiles  of  death  swept 
through  the  struggling  mass  from  end  to  end.  The 
effect  of  this  was  terrible  !  Comparatively  few — it  has 
been  said  not  more  than  a  dozen — escaped  from  that 
slaughter-pen  alive. 

A  rebel-  sergeant,  who,  with  his  entire  relief-squad 
of  a  dozen  men,  came  into  our  lines,  stated,  as  a  well- 
known  fact,  that  Longstreet  took  into  battle  on  Sat- 
urday twenty-five  thousand  men,  and  came  out  on 
Sunday  with  eleven  thousand.  This  shows  how  greatly 
the  rebels  suffered. 

Nothing  but  the  majesty  of  law,  the  necessity  of 
defending  righteous  government  from  the  assaults  of 
traitors,  and  the  securing  of  God-honored  and  God- 
honoring  peace  to  ourselves  and  posterity,  as  well  as 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          309 

freeing  our  land  from  the  foul  misrule  of  slavery — 
nothing  but  these  could  ever  reconcile  any  humane 
heart  to  such  fearful  scenes  of  wholesale  destruction 
and  death. 

HAPPY  MEETINGS. 

None  but  those  in  the  army  know  how  thrillingly 
tender,  yet  manly  and  noble,  are  the  meetings  of  com- 
rades after  a  battle.  Some  have  fallen,  to  rise  no 
more  till  the  judgment  of  the  Great  Day.  Some  are 
wounded;  others  are  missing.  I  will  never  forget  the 
impressive  meeting  of  the  survivors  of  the  Eleventh, 
after  those  two  days  of  terrible  fighting.  It  had  been 
reported  that  the  chaplain  was  captured.  This  came 
twice  being  pretty  near  the  truth.  It  was  also  stated 
that  he  had  been  seen  on  the  field  wounded — his  face 
bleeding.  This  last  was  true,  but  not  serious  enough 
for  even  this  hint.  It  may  just  be  added  that  the 
colonel  and  chaplain  had  quite  a  happy  reunion;  for 
each  had  been  informed  of  the  other's  being  killed  or 
captured  on  Sabbath  evening,  and,  of  course,  they  were 
rejoiced  to  meet  each  other  again,  through  God's  bless- 
ing, safe  and  sound.  And  the  brave  men — dearer  to 
me,  seemingly,  than  ever — for  whose  safety  I  could  only 
pray  while  they  fought  for  home  and  liberty  on  that 
dread  field,  grasped  my  hand,  as  they  clustered  round 
me,  with  a  fervor  that  could  not  be  mistaken.  And 
with  what  quiet,  enthusiastic  earnestness  the  men 
spoke  of  the  noble  manner  in  which  they  had  been  led 
by  their  brave  and  skillful  commander,  and  how  that 
he  had  earned  a  soldier's  name  and  a  patriot's  honor 
during  those  two  terrible  days !  And  I  make  this  rec- 


310  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

ord  here,  and  now,  of  the  great  gratification  it  afforded 
me  to  hear  such  eulogies  from  those  who  had  nothing 
to  gain  or  lose  by  making  them.  They  were  sponta- 
neous, earnest  expressions  of  confidence  in  one  whom 
they  had  learned  to  esteem  and  honor — the  opinions 
they  had  formed  of  one  who  had  not  only  shown 
himself  an  unswerving  patriot,  but  had  done  all  he 
could  to  promote  the  moral  and  religious  welfare  of 
the  regiment.  And  such  expressions  were  mutual. 
Members  of  the  different  companies  spoke  of  their 
company  officers  with  the  highest  admiration,  while 
company  commanders  did  the  same  of  their  men. 
Very  frequently  did  Colonel  Lane  make  reference,  in 
the  warmest  terms  of  commendation,  to  the  heroic  con- 
duct of  every  man  in  the  regiment.  Lieutenant-col- 
onel Street,  a  brave  and  efficient  officer,  was  too  ill 
to  be  on  the  field;  but,  although  scarcely  able  to  sit 
up,  he  made  his  way  to  the  front  on  Wednesday.  He 
had  to  return,  however,  being  too  feeble  for  duty.  Col- 
onel Lane  spoke  frequently,  also,  of  the  cool  bravery  of 
Major  Higgins,  and  of  the  daring  deeds  performed  by 
several  of  the  commissioned  officers.  To  hear  such 
expressions  of  mutual  respect  and  esteem  from  those 
who  had  stood  side  by  side  in  the  fierce  conflict,  was 
both  gratifying  and  impressive. 

FRIGHTENED  AND  FALSE  CORRESPONDENTS. 

Nothing  so  much  surprised  and  chagrined  the  army 
who  fought  so  nobly  at  Chickamauga,  as  the  glaringly 
false  statements,  made  by  some  army  correspondents, 
to  the  effect  that  Rosecrans  was  defeated.  The  sin- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  311 

ner  above  all  sinners,  in  this  particular,  was  the  swift- 
footed,  evil-omened  correspondent  of  the  New  York 
Herald.  At  the  time  when  the  lines  were  broken,  and 
the  effort  was  made  to  concentrate  on  Chattanooga, 
there  was,  as  might  be'expected,  not  only  confusion, 
but  even  somewhat  of  a  panic,  among  those  of  the 
troops  belonging  to  Crittenden  and  McCook  that  had 
been  so  badly  crushed  by  the  solid  rebel  columns  pour- 
ing in  on  the  right  of  Reynolds,  and  there  was  also  a 
great  panic  among  some  of  the  teamsters.  This  was 
of  very  short  duration,  however,  for  the  various  trains 
were  got  into  good  order,  and  conducted  rapidly  to- 
ward Chattanooga.  As  the  whole  aspect  of  a  battle- 
field may  change  in  a  few  minutes,  causing  corre- 
sponding changes  in  the  disposition  of  the  immense 
and  valuable  wagon-trains  of  an  army,  it  will  be  seen 
at  once  that,  where  prompt,  energetic,  and  rapid  move- 
ments are  necessary,  among  some  seven  or  eight  hun- 
dred wagons  and  three  or  four  hundred  ambulances, 
it  is  the  easiest  thing  in  the  world  to  get  up  a  panic. 
The  fact  that  the  immense  trains  were  in  some  danger 
of  being  captured,  when  the  lines  were  broken,  and 
the  no  less  important  fact  that  rapid  movements  of 
troops  might  be  prevented  by  their  being  in  the  way, 
called  for  quick  work  on  the  part  of  all  connected  with 
them.  Of  course,  at  the  first  it  was  a  rush  and  crush 
and  jam — a  helter-skelter  race,  as  if  each  teamster 
was  a  "  Tarn  o'  Shanter,"  with  a  witch,  or  the  de'il 
himself — horns  and  hoofs  and  all — hanging  on  by  the 
tail  of  each  individual  mule.  This  state  of  things 
lasted  about  an  hour,  and  might  have  led  to  serious 
results,  but  one  of  General  Rosecrans's  aids  rode  up 


312  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

to  a  teamster,  and,  drawing  his  revolver,  ordered  him 
to  stop,  or  he  would  shoot  him  as  dead  as  a  herring. 
This  brought  the  stampede  to  a  close,  and  in  a  short 
time  the  entire  mass  was  moving  as  orderly,  though 
not  as  quietly,  as  a  procession  of  Quakers. 

But,  on  seeing  the  first  advance  of  the  retreating 
teamsters,  it  seems  that  the  Herald's  correspondent 
hastened  away  from  the  rear — not  the  field  proper, 
for  no  one  on  the  field,  unless  very  badly  frightened, 
could  have  written  such  dispatches — composed,  as  they 
were,  of  mingled  truth  and  error,  misrepresentation  and 
contradiction — as  he  did  for  the  edification  and  especial 
delight  of  hungry  Copperheads  and  lynx-eyed  specu- 
lators— away  he  hastened  and  telegraphed  that  Rose- 
crans  was  virtually  defeated,  and,  in  a  word,  that 
every  thing  had  gone  to  "  smash,"  even  the  govern- 
ment dispatches,  for  they  "were,  in  the  main,  totally 
false!"  Such  were  the  doleful  tidings  that  this  panic- 
stricken,  swift-footed  correspondent  telegraphed  to 
New  York,  taking  care,  in  the  mean  time,  to  have  his 
eifusions  published  simultaneously  in  the  Louisville 
and  Cincinnati  papers!  He  got  his  news  of  disaster 
and  defeat  from  a  dozen  or  two  frightened  teamsters, 
perhaps  a  few  negroes,  who  were  probably  as  demented 
as  himself,  and  possibly  from  those  who  were  cut  off 
from  their  commands.  But  even  this  was  enough  for 
a  willing  messenger  of  evil  tidings.  Elections  were 
coming  off — Vallandighamers  in  Ohio  were  somewhat 
crest-fallen,  Copperheadism  had  evidently  gone  down 
in  the  political  market,  the  Peace-at-any-price  men 
were  getting  out  of  date,  the  pro-slavery  philippics 
of  the  Herald  and  World  were  getting  considerably 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY   LIFE.  313 

neutralized  by  the  logic  of  events ;  and,  as  dying  men 
are  said  to  grasp  at  straws,  this  correspondent,  with 
feverish  eagerness,  grasped  at  the  disaster  on  the 
right — not  knowing  or  caring  to  know  that  the  heroic 
Thomas  was  holding  the  rebels  at  bay — and  kindly 
offered  it  as  a  life-buoy  to  save  the  sinking  wreck  of 
Copperhead  treason. 

I  will  just  state  here  that,  although  I  was  engaged 
attending  to  the  wounded  on  that  part  of  the  field 
where  our  lines  were  broken,  and  where  there  was  the 
greatest  apparent  panic,  I  acknowledge  that  there  was 
nothing  to  give  any  countenance  to  the  terribly  gloomy 
picture  drawn  by  this  army  correspondent.  True,  I 
came  pretty  near  paying  dearly  for  my  temerity  in 
remaining  so  long  at  that  point.  I  had  left  but  a  few 
minutes,  when  that  part  of  the  field  was  swept  by  the 
left  wing  of  the  rebel  army,  and  it  was  only  after  I 
had  crossed  a  ravine  that  I  saw  the  rapid  change  that 
had  taken  place,  for  I  was  scarcely  inside  our  own 
lines.  Several  surgeons  were  taken  prisoners  at  this 
point,  and  quite  a  number  of  the  wounded  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy;  but  there  were  no  such  ter- 
rible things  as  represented  by  the  correspondent  in 
question. 

GOD'S  PROVIDENCE  IN  THE  BATTLE  OF  CHICKAMAUGA. 

If  ever  there  was  a  time  when  the  Almighty  Ruler 
of  earth  and  heaven  manifested  his  providential  deal- 
ings on  the  field  of  battle,  that  time  was  Sabbath,  the 
20th  of  September,  when  the  slaveholding  Confed- 
eracy hurled  nearly  its  whole  military  strength  on  the 
27 


314  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

Army  of  the  Cumberland,  and  made  the  most  despe- 
rate of  efforts  to  crush  it  at  one  blow.  That  the  plan 
of  the  rebel  leaders  was  so  to  mass  their  troops  in 
overwhelming  numbers,  and  strike  Rosecrans  before 
he  could  either  contract  his  lines  or  receive  reinforce- 
ments, and,  by  mere  force  of  numbers,  either  annihilate 
his  army  or  compel  him  to  surrender,  is  too  obvious 
now  for  any  one  to  doubt.  If  the  Lord  had  not  fa- 
vored the  cause  of  Truth  and  Freedom  at  that  time, 
humanly  speaking,  Rosecrans's  army  would  have  been 
so  seriously  crippled,  if  not  destroyed,  as  to  have 
made  that  campaign  but  one  grand  disaster.  The 
greater  part  of  Lee's  army,  under  Longstreet  and 
Hill,  together  with  the  fragments  of  Pemberton's 
Vicksburg  army,  under  Johnston,  Buckner's  troops, 
from  East  Tennessee,  and  thousands  of  the  prisoners 
paroled  by  Grant,  were  all  brought  together  to  rein- 
force Bragg,  so  as  to  make  the  battle  of  Sabbath  de- 
cisive. The  intention  was  to  render  failure  an  impos- 
sibility. But,  although  Rosecrans's  slender  battle-lines 
had  to  receive  the  shock  of  columns  of  regiments  and 
brigades,  and,  in  some  instances,  even  of  whole  divi- 
sions, and  so  continuous  and  terrible  were  the  onsets 
that  defeat  seemed  inevitable,  yet,  essentially,  the  little 
army  of  Freedom's  champions  was  victorious — victori- 
ous to  a  degree  that  struck  terror  still  deeper  into  the 
hearts  of  the  rebels.  It  is  not  nece'ssary  to  repeat 
here  what  has  already  become  history ;  but  there  is 
one  item  of  history  not  generally  known.  When  it  is 
considered  what  an  immensely  superior  force  Bragg 
had  to  hurl  against  the  Union  army,  it  is  a  matter  of 
wonder  why  he  did  not  open  the  battle  at  an  earlier 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  315 

hour  on  Sabbath  morning.  All  expected  the  attack 
to  commence  by  daylight;  but  hour  after  hour  elapsed 
before  he  moved,  and  it  was  nearly  nine  o'clock  before 
the  battle  fairly  opened.  .Why  was  this?  Major-Gen- 
eral Bishop  Polk,  who  was  in  command  of  the  extreme 
rebel  right,  was  ordered  to  attack  our  extreme  left  at 
daylight  on  Sabbath  morning.  Before  giving  the  or- 
ders to  move,  he  discovered  that  his  troops  were  not 
in  a  proper  position,  and  that,  through  some  mistake, 
a  whole  division  overlapped  the  battle-line,  and  that,  if 
the  battle  opened,  that  entire  division  must  be  inevita- 
bly slaughtered.  It  took  several  hours  for  the  rebels 
to  rectify  this  mistake,  but  they  were  precious  hours 
for  the  Union  army. 


CHAPTER   XXV. 

WAR   IS    DREADFUL — BRIGHTER  DATS   FOR   OUR   NATION  AND   THE 
WORLD — SLAVERY'S  CURSE. 

Do  YOU  say,  dear  reader,  that  war  is  dreadful?  It 
is  dreadful ;  so  much  so  that  no  humane  heart  can  lovo 
it  for  its  own  sake.  And  it  is  not  a  pleasant  task  to 
write  about  war,  especially  to  those  who  have  seen  it 
in  all  its  grim,  ghastly  realities.  As  I  have  been 
penning  these  few  simple  sketches  of  army  scenes 
and  incidents,  it  has  often  been  with  very  sad  and 
solemn  feelings.  Especially  has  this  been  the  case 
when  writing  about  the  battles  themselves,  and  the 
scenes  connected  with  them.  It  was  with  no  love  for 
war's  dark  records  that  this  work  was  undertaken ; 
neither  was  it  from  a  love  of  describing  the  sad  scenes 
of  the  battlefield.  Other,  and  it  is  humbly  hoped 
higher,  motives  have  prevailed  in  the  sketching  of 
these  LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS  OF  ARMY  LIFE. 

It  is  rather  a  sad  task  than  otherwise  to  write  about 
what  one  has  seen  of  suffering  and  death.  It  is  enough 
for  me  that  I  have  seen  the  stern,  the  fearfully  stern 
visage  of  War ;  that  while  with  steady  hand,  perhaps, 
but  with  throbbing  heart,  I  have  bound  up  the  torn 
and  mangled  limbs  of  the  fallen  brave,  or  spoken  of 
Christ  and  salvation  to  those  whose  eyes  were  grow- 
(316) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY  LIFE.  317 

ing  dim  in  death ;  it  is  enough  that  I  have  been  amid 
the  horrid  crash  and  rush  and  roar  of  battle,  as  the 
gleaming  columns  surged  to  and  fro  like  the  angry 
waves  of  ocean — it  is  enough  for  me,  without  attempt- 
ing to  portray  the  whole  on  paper,  or  enter  into  minute 
details  which  properly  belong  to  the  historian !  Rather, 
much  rather,  would  I  try  to  paint  any  stray  sunbeam 
of  hope  and  comfort,  Christ  and  heaven,  which  may 
have  glimmered  forth  from  amid  the  dark  and  angry 
clouds,  and  lighted  up,  here  and  there,  with  the  light 
of  Christian  hope  and  joy,  some  sad  and  gloomy 
scene  of  bivouac  and  battle !  And  yet,  I  would  by 
no  means  have  it  understood  that  I  have  looked  upon 
the  battlefield,  with  all  its  tragic  accompaniments  and 
consequences,  with  the  eye  of  a  mere  sentimentalist, 
or  with  the  feelings  of  one  who  only  hears  the  cry  of 
the  patient,  instead  of  seeing  the  deeply-seated  cancer 
which  the  surgeon's  knife  is  removing.  "We  ought  to 
look  upon  every  American  battlefield  as  the  arena  on 
which — not  men,  but  ideas;  not  physical  forces,  but 
great  moral  principles — have  been,  and  still  are,  con- 
tending for  supremacy.  We  ought  to  realize  that,  be- 
yond and  above  the  angry  clouds,  and  the  lurid  light- 
nings, and  the  ghastly  features  of  the  mere  material 
scenery,  the  eye  of  faith  can  behold  the  bow  of  peace 
spanning  the  heavens  of  a  redeemed  and  sanctified 
country  —  a  country  redeemed  from  the  withering 
curse  of  human  bondage,  and  sanctified  by  the  blood 
of  Freedom's  martyrs.  But,  with  all  of  this  to  nerve 
the  hand  and  strengthen  the  heart,  I  envy  not  the  feel- 
ings of  that  man  who  can  behold,  with  stolid  indiffer- 
ence or  philosophic  calmness,  the  dread  carnage  of 


318  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

the  battlefield.  The  bursting  shell  scatters  death  and 
destruction  just  as  surely,  and  the  solid  shot  and 
grape  and  canister  sweep  the  ranks  of  living  men  into 
one  great  livid  mass  of  quivering,  mangled  humanity 
just  as  remorselessly,  and  the  saber  and  bayonet  cut 
and  thrust  just  as  keenly  and  mortally,  in  a  holy  as  in 
an  unholy  cause.  It  is  war ;  and  war  is  dreadful, 
view  it  as  we  may.  But,  0,  if  God  himself,  as  the 
great  and  righteous  Ruler  of  the  Universe,  is  bringing 
about  a  great  and  glorious  revolution  in  our  suffering 
country,  and  in  the  world  at  large,  by  which  the  tide- 
wave  of  human  progress,  human  liberty,  and  human 
happiness  shall  roll  onward  with  majestic  sweep,  and 
carry  upon  its  bosom  blessings  to  every  shore,  and  the 
peaceful  banner  of  the  Cross  shall  be  unfurled  in  every 
land,  and  wars  and  tumults  shall  forever  cease,  then 
we  can  feel  that  our  national  tribulation  has  not  been 
in  vain,  and  that  a  nation's  heroes  have  not  bled  and 
died  for  nought ! 

DARK  SCENES — NAMELESS  CRIMES. 

Man  may  commit  crimes  that  man  dare  not  describe ; 
and  society  may  become  so  corrupt  that  only  an  in- 
spired pen  may  safely  expose  and  reprove  its  moral 
hideousness.  There  may  be  such  a  state  of  morals 
existing  in  communities,  that  it  may  even  be  "a  shame 
to  speak  of  those  things  which  are  done  of  them  in 
secret."  Sometimes  very  salutary  lessons  may  be 
gained  by  simply  looking  at  the  sad  wrecks  of  hu- 
manity which  cluster  around  the  purlieus  of  vice,  while 
it  might  be  morally  dangerous  to  enter  such  dens  of 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   AKMY   LIFE.  319 

iniquity,  and  explore  their  dark,  mysterious  chambers 
of  vice,  which  are  reeking  with  moral  foulness,  and 
which  pour  out  on  society  the  virus  of  physical  and 
moral  leprosy. 

A  statement  of  the  fearful  results  of  what  the  fash- 
ionable world  calls  "  an  intrigue — an  affair  of  the 
heart" — but  which  the  law  of  God  denounces  in  plain, 
unmistakable  language,  and  threatens  with  fearful 
penalties,  may  have  a  decidedly  good  effect,  while  to 
open  the  secret  chambers  and  expose  the  sensual  im- 
agery of  the  libertine  would  be  pernicious  in  the  ex- 
treme. For  these  reasons,  and  for  others,  the  history 
of  slavery  will  never  be  written ;  its  darkest  pictures 
will  never  be  painted ;  its  more  fearful  and  hideous  se- 
crets will  never  be  revealed.  Not  only  is  it  utterly  im- 
possible to  describe  slavery  as  it  is,  but,  perhaps,  it  is 
wise  not  to  make  the  attempt.  A  better  reason  could 
not  be  given  than  that  contained  in  the  remark  made 
by  Lieutenant  McAbee  to  a  couple  of  slaveholding  la- 
dies. With  much  hauteur  of  manner,  mock  delicacy, 
and  seeming  surprise  at  the  ignorance  and  audacity 
of  a  Federal  officer  daring  to  speak  against  the  pet 
institution  of  rebeldom,  one  of  them  said : 

"  It  is  only  because  of  your  low  Yankee  breeding 
and  ignorance  of  Southern  institutions,  that  you  talk 
against  slavery.  You  have  given  a  number  of  reasons 
for  denouncing  what  you  don't  know  any  thing  about. 
Have  you  nothing  better  to  say?" 

"  Madam,"  said  the  lieutenant,  who  had  been  most 
polite  but  firm  in  his  remarks,  "  Madam,  the  one  other 
great  reason  I  would  urge  against  slavery  is  one  which 
no  gentleman  will  name  in  the  presence  of  ladies — one 


320  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

which  every  Southern  lady  of  true  womanly  feeling 
should  blush  to  think  of;  but  which  she  must  know 
is  part  of  the  institution  itself,  and  which  has  under- 
mined domestic  honor,  purity,  and  peace.  My  respect 
for  woman  forbids  me  saying  more." 

The  shaft  went  home.  The  ladies  blushed,  then 
grew  pale,  and  blushed  again.  A  hint  was  .enough; 
they  felt  it  was  too  true,  and  they  instantly  dropped 
the  subject. 

Wesley's  definition  of  slavery  is  at  once  brief,  truth- 
ful, and  expressive;  it  requires  no  addition,  it  can  not 
be  improved :  "  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VILLAINIES."  There, 
you  have  it  in  a  nutshell. 

As  a  mere  matter  of  policy,  the  slaveholding  oli- 
garchy of  the  South  could  not  have  done  a  more  fool- 
ish act  than  to  rebel  against  the  Federal  Government. 
It  is  as  if  a  band  of  assassins,  robbers,  counterfeiters, 
and  swindlers  were  to  throw  open  the  doors  of  their 
secret  dens,  and,  with  insolent  sneer,  invite  the  world  to 
walk  in,  with  lighted  torch,  and  scrutinize  every  nook 
and  corner,  examine  every  blood-stained  weapon  of 
death  and  every  implement  of  robbery,  and  drag  forth 
into  the  light  of  day  such  evidences  of  crime  as  would 
excite  at  once  the  wonder  and  loathing  of  all  coming 
ages. 

The  Church  of  Christ,  assuredly,  fell  fearfully  in  the 
snare  of  Satan  when  she  took  to  her  bosom,  and  pro- 
tected by  the  broad  shield  of  her  good  name,  the 
slave-owner  whose  merchandise  was  slaves  and  souls  of 
men !  Away  with  all  cant  about  Christian  slavehold- 
ers !  Christian  slaveholders !  As  well  talk  about  honest 
thieves,  benevolent  murderers,  loyal  traitors,  and  pious 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  321 

devils.  The  one  is  no  more  absurd  and  self-contra- 
dictory than  the  other;  and  had  it  not  been  for  a 
time-serving  ministry,  corrupt  political  platforms,  and 
a  venal  press,  the  absurdity  would  never  have  been 
palmed  on  the  Christian -world  as  a  Bible  truth. 

One  good  result  of  this  war,  however,  is,  that  like 
a  mighty  plowshare,  it  has  been  driving  remorselessly 
into  and  under  the  very  foundations  of  slavery,  and 
laying  bare  its  ramifications  of  unheard-of  and  inde- 
scribable wickedness,  its  fiendish  malignity,  its  lust  and 
brutality,  that  the  world  might  see  the  vile  system  as 
it  is,  and  execrate  it  as  it  deserves.  The  work  is  not 
accomplished  yet ;  it  is  but  fairly  commenced — scarcely 
more.  But  if  the  few  furrows  already  turned  up  have 
made  such  revelations  of  the  substratum,  what  will  be 
the  sum  total  when  the  whole  field  of  Southern  soci- 
ety, with  its  habits,  customs,  plans,  and  purposes,  shall 
be  plowed  up  and  laid  bare  ?  What  fearful  revela- 
tions will  then  be  made !  How  dark  the  records  of 
crime  that  will  then  be  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  an 
astonished  world!  What  a  ghastly  caricature  of  civ- 
ilization, refinement,  and  religion  will  then  be  uncov- 
ered! And  until  a  complete  overturning  of  Southern 
society  is  accomplished,  and  a  full  revelation  of  the 
mysteries  of  its  habits  and  customs  are  made,  the  his- 
tory of  this  rebellion,  in  the  full  sense  of  the  term, 
can  not  be  written.  Until  then  such  efforts  are  com- 
paratively premature.  The  keenest  observers  can  not 
see  clearly;  the  profoundest  thinkers  are  waiting  for 
more  light.  Not  only  must  the  smoke  of  battle  be 
cleared  away,  the  passions  of  conflicting  interests  be 
subdued,  and  the  bias  of  political  opinion  be  corrected ; 


822  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OP   ARMY    LIFE. 

but  from  the  dark  and  secret  chambers  of  rebeldom 
itself  must  be  dragged  forth  the  fearful  records  of 
fraud,  falsehood,  perjury,  and  treason,  which  for  long 
years  have  been  accumulating,  and  which  will  form 
the  blackest  page  of  history  the  world  has  ever  read. 
The  plowshare  must  be  driven  deeper  yet,  the  entire 
social  system  of  the  South  overturned  and  exposed; 
then,  and  not  till  then,  may  the  historian  seize  his 
pen  for  a  full  and  complete  history  of  the  "  Great  Re- 
bellion." 

IMPENITENCE 

In  my  efforts  to  minister  to  the  physical  wants 
of  the  suffering,  I  came  to  a  rebel  soldier  mortally 
wounded.  His  countenance  wore  that  ashy  pallor 
peculiar  to  those  who  are  wounded  in  the  bowels. 
He  was  shivering  with  cold  and  loss  of  blood.  His 
garments  were  soaking  wet,  but  with  that  humanity 
which  I  am  proud  to  record  concerning  our  army,  a 
heavy,  double  United  States  blanket  was  thrown  over 
him. 

"Would  you- like  something  to  eat?"  I  said  to  him — 
"a  warm  drink,  such  as  a  little  beef  soup  or  hot  cof- 
fee?" 

"I  would  like  something  warm  to  drink,"  said  he, 
shivering  as  he  spoke,  "for  I  am  cold." 

I  brought  some  nice  hot  coffee  to  him,  but,  after 
taking  a  sip  or  two,  he  declined  it,  saying  he  was  very 
sick,  and  in  much  pain.  I  asked  where  his  home  was. 
He  replied,  "In  Pike  County,  Georgia."  After  exam- 
ining his  wound,  I  told  him,  as  kindly  as  possible,  that 
there  was  little  or  no  hope  of  his  recovery,  and  that 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  323 

it  was  his  duty  to  look  to  God  in  this  the  hour  of  his 
extremity.  Notwithstanding  I  tried  to  be  as  kind  and 
soothing  as  possible,  he  seemed  to  resist  my  well-meant 
endeavors  in  behalf  of  his  spiritual  state.  To  my  state- 
ment that  he  could  notr  possibly  live  but  for  a  short 
time — that  even  now  he  was  dying,  and  that  I  spoke  to 
him  not  as  an  enemy  to  insult  him,  but  as  a  friend  to 
warn  him — he  replied,  "  He  would  not  die,  but  if  he 
did,  he  reckoned  'twould  be  all  right."  Dying  as  he 
was,  he  seemed  to  take  special  pains  to  show  his 
hatred.  He  ordered  me,  in  a  surly  manner,  to  place 
some  water  near  him — it  was  all  he  wanted.  I  got  a 
cup  of  water,  drew  the  blanket  closer  around  him,  and 
asked  if  I  could  do  any  thing  more  for  him,  but  he 
only  answered  me  with  a  growl,  and  treated  me  much 
as  he  might  have  done  a  dog.  Near  him  lay  two  other 
wounded  rebel  soldiers,  one  of  whom  was  too  weak  to 
say  much,  but  the  other  spoke  kindly,  but  reprovingly, 
to  his  dying  comrade.  Every  thing  I  did  for  them 
they  accepted  kindly,  and  expressed  their  thankfulness 
in  a  way  not  to  be  misunderstood.  One  of  them — the 
weakest — in  answer  to  my  inquiry  as  to  whether  he 
would  not  wish  something  to  eat,  replied  "He  was 
very  cold,  and  would  be  glad  of  some  hot  coffee."  On 
presenting  it  to  him,  his  looks,  more  than  his  words, 
told  his  surprise  and  gratitude. 

And  here  I  wish  to  re.cord  a  fact  against  all  the  ma- 
licious reports  and  complaints  of  rebels  in  arms,  as 
well  as  their  sympathizers  everywhere,  that,  during  all 
my  experiences  on  the  battlefield  and  in  the  hospital, 
both  East  and  South-west — in  the  Army  of  the  Po- 
tomac, in  the  Kanawha  Valley,  and  in  the  Army  of  the 


324  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

Cumberland — I  have  never  seen  or  known  a  single 
wounded  rebel  soldier  insulted  or  injured  after  falling 
into  the  hands  of  the  Union  soldiers.  I  noticed  but 
one  instance  where  a  rebel  prisoner  was  insulted — at 
least  he  thought  so.  It  was  on  the  Saturday  of  the 
Chickamauga  battle,  and  Avas  on  this  wise : 

Close  by  a  little  clump  of  bushes,  and  sheltered  from 
the  missiles  thrown  by  their  own  army,  were  clustered 
a  few  rebel  prisoners.  Among  them  was  a  short, 
dumpy  fellow,  whose  physiognomy  was  decidedly  Hi- 
bernian. Even  his  gray  uniform  and  unkempt  hair 
could  not  make  him  one  of  the  chivalry. 

"Whose  division  do  you  belong  to,"  asked  our  sur- 
geon, as  we  passed  the  group. 

"  Faith  an'  I  belong  to  Gineral  Johnston's  divasion — 
an'  he 's  a  gintleman,  too." 

"What  part  of  Ireland  are  you  from?' 

"Bedad,  an'  I  came  from  Tipperary,  so  I  did." 

"How  long  since?" 

"  I  left  owld  Ireland  in  April — yes  " — scratching  his 
head — "  faith,  an'  I  can  hardly  tell  yez." 

"What  are  you  fighting  against  the  United  States 
Government  for?"  demanded  the  doctor,  getting  a  lit- 
tle emphatic. 

"Why,  an'  to  be  sure,  aint  I  fighting  for  liberty? 
Haven't  the  Yankees  been  staling  the  nagurs,  an' 
have  n't — " 

"Confound  you,  you  Irish  renegade!  You  can't 
get  potatoes  and  salt  herring  enough  in  your  own 
country  to  keep  you  from  starvation,  and  a  lot  of  you 
Catholic  hounds — of  course  you're  a  Catholic — growl 
about  your  oppressions  in  Ireland,  and  come  over 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          325 

here  to  fight  for  slavery !  Confound  you !  the  meanest 
negro  in  the  South  is  better  than  you  are !  Shucks  ! 
I  can  stand  a  Southern  rebel,  but  an  Irish  renegade 
and  a  home  traitor  would  make  a  preacher  swear. 
Would  n  't  it,  chaplain  ?  "• 

The  doctor's  own  Irish  was  up,  for  he  had  first 
seen  the  light  of  day  somewhere  between  Bantry  Bay 
and  Inneshone — was  an  -ardent  Presbyterian  of  the 
Scotch  school,  and,  like  Luther,  had  a  standing  grudge 
against  the  Pope  and  the  Devil. 

"Iisr  DE  CANE-BRAKE,  DAR." 

A  day  or  two  after  crossing  Lookout  Mountain, 
our  division  encamped,  or  rather  bivouacked,  on  a 
rebel  slaveholder's  plantation.  It  was  well  stocked, 
apparently,  with  every  thing  necessary  for  a  Georgia 
planter's  ease  and  comfort,  including  slaves,  black  and 
white.  There  were  immense  fields  of  corn  in  a  beau- 
tiful valley,  sweet  potatoes  and  yams  in  abundance, 
which  tasted  most  deliciously  when  varied  with  hard- 
tack, as  we  can  testify.  The  corn  was  excellent  for 
succotash — so  thought  the  soldiers,  as  they  luxuriated 
in  that  celebrated  dish.  The  corn  was  good  for  army 
mules,  too,  as,  no  doubt,  they  thought — that  is  to  say, 
if  mules  do  think.  Shortly  after  we  were  fairly  en- 
camped, a  stalwart  negro  came  within  the  regimental 
lines,  and  seemed  much  interested  in  "  Massa  Linkum's 
sogers." 

"Look  ye'ah,  boss,"  said  he,  bringing  the  words 
seemingly  from  the  bottom  of  some  empty  hogshead, 
"look  ye'ah — want  ter  know  whar  massa's  mules  are 


326  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

gone?  Massa  dun'  no  nuffin  'bout  'em,  when  sogers 
ober  dar — but  I  know  !  Massa  says  dey  is  clar  done 
gone  ter  our  array;  but  I  know  whar  dey  clar  done 
gone.  Dey  is  in  de  cane-brake  'way  ober  dar,  an'  I'se 
sot  on  gwine  dar  wid  you,  ef  you  want  'em.  Mighty 
peart  mules,  boss!  Golly,  won't  ole  massa  swar  when 
de  mules  clar  done  gone  ter  Linkum's  army!  But 
say,  boss,  dar's  a  sick  woman — she's  one  of  dem  poor 
whites — chil'en  sick,  too;  she 'most  dyin'.  'Pears  like 
'twould  be  better  she  would  die;  she's  a  poor  critter, 
boss — a  poor  critter — she  came  from  ober  Sand — her 
ole  man  'scripted  inter  secesh  army  !  Wall,  yer  see 
dat  ar  patch  ob  corn  ober  dar  ?  Dat  b'longs  ter  dat 
poor  woman — she 's  worked  an'  worked !  Whew,  how 
dat  ar  critter's  worked  on  dat  patch  ob  corn!  Now, 
boss,  'pears  like  ef  it  would  be  mighty  bad  ter  tech 
dat  ar  corn.  Take  massa's  corn  an'  de  mules,  too, 
down  in  de  cane-brake,  but  'member  dat  ar  poor  crit- 
ter. She  lives  in  dat  cabin  ober  dar." 

By  a  somewhat  circuitous  route  "  de  cane-brake  ober 
dar"  was  reached,  and  a  fine  lot  of  sleek  mules  were 
confiscated  to  Massa  Linkum.  Not  a  single  blade  of 
the  poor  woman's  corn  was  touched;  but  if  the  lordly 
slaveholder  gleaned  a  few  bushels  on  his  immense 
plantation  after  our  army  foragers  had  passed  over 
it,  it  was  merely  accidental.  It  may  just  be  added 
that  Dr.  McCurdy  and  myself  visited  this  poor  family 
whose  cause  had  been  so  ably  pleaded  by  the  noble- 
hearted  negro,  and  we  saw  a  scene  of  such  abject 
poverty  and  misery  that  no  language  could  do  it  jus- 
tice. As  a  tribute  to  the  humanity  and  benevolence 
of  the  Union  soldiers,  let  me  state  here  that,  during 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  327 

the  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  we  remained  there,  at 
least  a  dozen  came  in  with  coffee,  sugar,  bread,  and 
salt — all  out  of  their  own  rations — and  before  next 
morning  enough  was  sent  from  our  commissary  to 
keep  the  family  a  month.  The  soldiers,  whenever  they 
killed  beef,  invariably  sent  a  piece  to  the  poor,  pinched, 
poverty-stricken  children.  The  Union  soldier  has  no 
conscientious  scruples  in  regard  to  slaveholders  and 
their  property.  He  has  benevolent  feelings,  however, 
toward  the  poor,  and  scorns  to  touch  the  little  property 
of  the  helpless  and  needy,  and  is  ever  ready  to  share 
the  contents  of  his  haversack  with  the  destitute  and 
afflicted. 

Before  we  moved  forward,  the  surgeon  sent  some 
medicines  for  the  sick  woman,  and  a  few  delicacies 
from  our  hospital  supplies. 


CHAPTER   XXVI. 

INCIDENTS    ON    THE    FIELD THE    OLD     FLAG    YET INDIVIDUAL    FEEL- 
INGS   AND     EXPERIENCES THE    ARMY    AT    CHATTANOOGA YANKEE 

DASH    AND    ENERGY BROWN'S    FERRY 

AN  AFFECTING  SIGHT— "THE  OLD  FLAG  YET." 

ON  Saturday,  while  our  regiment  was  charging  up 
a  hill,  an  incident  occurred  which,  for  tragic  pathos, 
has  seldom  been  surpassed.  At  the  foot  of  a  tree,  and 
among  a  large  number  of  the  dead  and  wounded  of 
both  armies,  lay,  or  rather  reclined  against  the  tree,  a 
wounded  man  in  rebel  uniform.  He  was  seen  to  wave 
his  hat  as  the  regiment  advanced,  and  it  so  happened 
that,  as  he  lay  in  the  direction  of  the  center  of  the 
regiment,  he  was  opposite  our  colors,  which  were  float- 
ing in  the  breeze.  As  our  regiment  came  up  to  where 
he  lay,  he  shouted,  feebly : 

"Hurrah  for  the  old  flag  yet! — the  old  flag  yet!" 

He  was  seen  to  be  severely  if  not  mortally  wounded ; 
his  garments  were  soaked  with  blood,  his  face  covered 
with  dust,  and  his  lips  dry  and  parched. 

"  Hurrah  for  the  old  flag  yet ! "  he  again  feebly 
shouted,  and,  as  if  by  an  instinctive  impulse,  Lieuten- 
ant Peck,  who,  at  that  moment,  was  carrying  the  flag, 
drooped  it  over  the  dying  man,  and  as  its  battle-worn 
(328) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          329 

stripes    and   stars   flashed   before   him,   he   muttered 
again : 

"  The  old  flag  yet !  the  old  flag  yet ! " 
He  grasped  its  silken  folds,  for  a  moment,  as  it 
swept  over  him ;  his  lips  were  seen  to  move,  but  hia 
words  could  not  be  heard.  A  sad,  melancholy  smile 
lit  up  his  pale  and  haggard  face,  and,  exhausted  with 
the  effort,  he  sank  down,  perhaps  never  to  rise  again. 
It  was  the  work  of  a  moment — one  of  the  rapidly- 
shifting  scenes  in  the  horrid  drama  of  war — but  it  was 
a  scene  never  to  be  forgotten. 

INDIVIDUAL  FEELINGS  AND  EXPERIENCES. 

Through  the  kindness  of  the  Rev.  W.  M.  Cheever, 
of  Troy,  Ohio,  the  following  letter  was  put  into  the 
author's  hands.  It  was  written  by  a  brave,  worthy 
young  man,  who  was  a  member  of  Mr.  Cheever's 
Church,  and  an  officer  in  the  Eleventh  Ohio  Regiment. 
It  is  inserted  here  for  the  purpose  of  showing  what 
religious  faith  can  do  in  the  hour  of  danger  and 
death. 

"  CHATTAXOOGA,  TENN.,  October  7,  1863. 
"REV.  W.  M.  CHEEVER: 

"Dear  Sir — After  a  long  interval  that  has  elapsed  since  I 
last  wrote,  I  again  address  you  a  few  lines,  that  you  may 
know  that  I  have  not  entirely  forgotten  you,  and  to  tell  you 
of  God's  providence  to  me  during  the  late  battles.  Although, 
perhaps,  by  this  late  date,  you  have  become  tired  of  listening 
to  the  many  and  varied  and  conflicting  reports  that  have 
reached  you,  through  the  press  and  otherwise,  yet  there  is 
much  that  transpires,  through  the  long  and  tedious  hours  of 
the  contest,  that  'history  and  the  world  never  know,'  and 

28 


330  LIGHTS  AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

which  is  only  known  and  felt  by  individuals  who  take  part  in 
the  engagement. 

"On  the  evening  of  Friday,  September  18,  just  as  the  sun  had 
sunk  behind  the  hills,  our  brigade  was  ordered  on  the  march. 
To  one  accustomed  to  watch  the  movements  of  an  army,  the 
circumstances  connected  with  this  movement  would  have  told 
what  was  in  prospect;  yet  every  one  seemed  cheerful,  and 
appeared,  apparently,  unconscious  and  indifferent  in  regard  to 
what  the  morrow  might  bring  forth.  A  soldier  never  antici- 
pates danger  until  near  at  hand.  However,  night  and  dark- 
ness soon  enveloped  our  division  within  its  murky  folds,  and 
the  dust  and  smoke  from  burning  fences  thickened  the  atmos- 
phere around  us.  These,  together  with  a  chilling  wind,  and 
the  utter  want  of  water,  rendered  our  sufferings  very  severe. 
Yet.  we  toiled  on,  step  after  step,  until  the  gray  of  morn  light- 
ened the  eastern  horizon,  when  we  came  to  a  stand-still.  The 
men,  overcome  with  fatigue,  sat  down  on  the  road,  and  were 
Boon  fast  asleep.  Stretched  at  full  length  in  the  dust,  with  a 
fence-rail  or  a  stone  for  a  pillow,  we  slept  sweetly.  An  hour 
and  a  half  thus  passed,  and  the  road  was  once  more  cleared. 
The  command,  '  Fall  in  ! '  brought  the  men  again  to  their 
feet,  and  we  moved  forward  feeling  somewhat  refreshed  from 
our  sleep.  Every  one  began  now  to  feel  that  we  were  nearing 
1  hallowed  ground.'  Many  long  columns  could  be  seen  wind- 
ing over  hills,  through  woods  and  meadows,  filling  every  road, 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  At  nine  o'clock  we  halted  in  a 
field,  that  the  men  might  shake  the  dust  from  their  clothes 
and  enjoy  a  moment's  rest,  as  that  was  all  that  could  be  done, 
under  the  circumstances.  Not  a  drop  of  water  could  be  pro- 
cured either  to  quench  our  thirst  or  bathe  our  faces,  so  we  re- 
solved to  reconcile  ourselves  to  the  same  fare  for  breakfast 
that  we  had  for  supper — that  is,  wait  until  the  next  meal. 
While  halted  here,  we  were  warned  by  the  thunder  of  a  can- 
non that  the  'ball'  had  opened  for  certain.  After  sending 
a  detail,  with  the  canteens,  in  search  of  water,  we  were  soon  on 
the  march  for  the  field  of  action.  In  a  few  minutes,  we  were 
formed  in  the  edge  of  a  wood,  close  by  the  battle-line,  awaiting 
orders  as  to  which  part  of  the  line  we  were  to  occupy.  Here  we 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  331 

could  distinctly  hear  the  incessant  roar  of  small  arms,  and  the 
deep  booming  of  artillery,  that  told  too  well  how  fiercely  the 
enemy  contested  our  advance.  Being  halted  a  moment,  oui 
brave  and  worthy  chaplain,  W.  W.  Lyle,  rode  to  the  front  of 
our  regiment,  and  spoke  9.  few  words  of  encouragement  and 
cheer,  that  sent  a  thrill  of  joy  and  comfort  vibrating  through 
every  heart,  and  which  nerved  and  strengthened  many  a  noble 
lad,  whose  cheek  there  paled  at  the  thought  of  the  conflict,  to 
stand  the  shock  in  the  fiercest  of  the  fight,  as  the  records  of 
that  hard-fought  field  will  show.  Never  did  I  witness  a  scene 
more  impressive  than  the  services  of  that  morning  before  going 
into  action.  Our  regiment  was  drawn  up  in  'double  columns, 
companies  closed  in  mass ; '  our  old  colors,  which  had  been 
through  several  battles,  were  unfurled  to  the  breeze,  and  waved 
over  the  heads  of  a  phalanx  of  tried  men.  Silence  reigned  in 
our  ranks.  Every  one  seemed  to  commune  with  his  own  heart — • 
perhaps  thinking  of  home"  and  friends. 

"As  I  looked  down  the  line  of  faces,  I  could  see  firmness 
and  determination  depicted  on  each  countenance.  As  our  eyes 
met  in  silence,  we  could  read  each  other's  thoughts,  and  gather 
courage  from  their  glance.  While  the  chaplain  lifted  up  his 
voice  in  prayer,  a  thousand  heads  bowed  in  reverence,  and  a 
thousand  hearts  mentally  offered  up  an  anxious  and  earnest 
appeal  to  their  God  for  his  guidance  through  the  or'deal  that 
awaited  them.  At  a  time  like  this,  man  thinks  in  earnest,  not 
in  jest.  General  Reynolds,  our  brave  and  gallant  commander, 
happened  to  be  present,  and,  after  Brother  Lyle  closed  the  serv- 
ices, he  rode  up  to  him,  and,  with  a  tear  in  his  eye,  grasped 
his  hand  and  shook  it  warmly.  That  hearty  grasp  of  the  hand 
and  that  earnest  look  expressed  more  there  than  tongue  could 
tell. 

"That  scene,  so  simple  but  so  sacred,  so  fall  of  all  that 
can  move  the  heart,  was  often  referred  to  during  the  battle. 
That  a  major-general,  while  busy  posting  his  troops,  and  while 
the  battle  is  already  raging,  should  be  seen  pausing,  for  a  mo- 
ment, beside  a  portion  of  his  troops  engaged  in  prayer,  joining 
with  them  himself,  being  so  deeply  affected  as  to  shed  a  manly, 
Christian  tear — shaking  hands  with  the  chaplain  who  led  the 


332  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

devotions,  thus  acknowledging  his  own  religious  principles  be- 
fore the  men  he  was  about  to  lead  in  battle — had  an  effect  that 
may  be  imagined,  but  can  not  be  described.  We  always  had 
confidence  in  the  cool  bravery  of  General  Reynolds,  but  we  had 
more  at  that  moment  than  ever  before.  We  would  have  fol- 
lowed him  anywhere.  But  now  we  are  off  to  the  front  to  fight, 
and  the  chaplain,  as  usual,  to  care  for  our  wounded.  But  a 
few  moments,  and  we  are  mixed  up,  midst  the  noise  and  con- 
fusion, 'the  hurrying  to  and  fro,'  with  the  horrid  din  that  is 
usually  found  behind  a  battle-line.  Passing  through,  we  reach 
the  front,  form  quickly  into  position,  and  advance,  under  fire  of 
the  enemy,  to  the  assistance  of  our  friends,  and  are  just  in  time 
to  save  a  regiment  that  has  run  out  of  ammunition.  We  pass 
over  them,  and  can  see  the  long  lines  of  rebels  advancing  slowly 
and  steadily,  and,  by  this  time,  pouring  a  destructive  fire  into 
our  ranks.  '  FORWARD — DOUBLE-QUICK—CHARGE  BAYONET  !  was 
shouted,  when  off  darted  the  old  Eleventh,  with  our  battle-worn 
colors  flung  to  the  breeze.  A  'Hurrah!'  was  shouted  by  hun- 
dreds of  voices,  that  made  the  woods  around  us  ring,  and 
curdled  the  blood  in  the  enemy's  veins.  The  glittering  steel 
was  too  much — it  had  its  effect  The  enemy  wavers — they 
break,  they  run  like  sheep — they  try  to  rally  again,  but  fly  as 
before!  Dismay  and  terror  seize  them.  Many  fall  by  the  un- 
erring aim  of  our  rifles — a  complete  rout  ensues — the  field  is 
ours,  and  another  star  is  added  to  our  battle-flag !  New  lines 
are  immediately  formed,  and  the  enemy  appears  again  upon  our 
front  and  left,  more  desperate  than  before.  Again  they  are 
driven  by  the  bayonet,  and  a  second  victory  is  won.  So  closed 
the  day  with  us  of  Saturday's  fight  Fresh  troops  are  brought 
forward,  and  we  retire,  worn  completely  out.  The  water  that 
was  sent  for  in  the  morning  comes  up  at  this  late  hour,  and  is 
seized  by  famished  men,  and  used  with  moderation  in  making 
coffee.  This,  together  with  a  cracker,  roasted  or  parched  on  a 
stick,  formed  the  basis  of  our  first  meal  in  nearly  thirty-six 
hours.  God  has,  however,  protected  and  favored  us  much. 
Only  a  score  wounded  and  one  killed  from  out  our  regiment! 
O,  what  fortitude  God  gave  me  in  this  hour  to  bear  up  under 
the  fatigues  and  hardships  of  that  night,  with  the  prospects  of 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  333 

a  renewal  of  the  terrible  scenes  in  the  morning!  But.  thank- 
ing him,  with  my  whole  heart,  for  his  favors  of  to-day,  and 
knowing  in  whom  to  trust  on  the  morrow,  I  laid  down  on  the 
battle-ground  to  rest  my  weary  lirubs — to  sleep  and  dream — not 
of  WAR,  but  of  HOME.  Saturday  night  passed  as  has  many 
other  nights  of  bivouac,  and  Sabbath  morning  came,  at  last, 
bright  and  glorious.  Yes,  the  holy  Sabbath  came — but  not 
with  its  cheering  Sabbath  bells — not  with  its  happy  rest  and 
sacred  privileges — but  with  scenes  of  horror,  fields  of  carnage 
and  blood;  with  the  thunder  of  war,  the  groans  of  the  wounded 
and  dying,  and  with  all  that  could  be  heaped  in  a  day  of  fierce, 
deadly  conflict!  Buoyed  up  by  the  excitement,  we  again  face 
the  enemy — hold  our  position  under  a  shower  of  Minie  balls, 
grape,  and  canister.  Many  of  our  brave  boys  fall,  yet  we  stand 
firm  through  the  long  and  weary  hours  that  pass  so  slowly. 
Our  left  and  right  are  driven  back  time  after  time,  until,  finally, 
our  flanks  are  entirely  exposed ;  but  we  still  hold  our  ground. 
Late  in  the  afternoon,  when  we  are  surrounded,  cut  off,  orders 
reach  us,  '  Cut  through  or  surrender!1  We  re-form,  in  a  new 
position,  while  the  enemy  close  in  on  all  sides.  The  order  is 
given  by  General  Reynolds  to  move  by  the  rear  rank,  and  the 
startling  words  ring  out,  above  the  noise  of  battle,  '  FORWARD — 
DOUBLE-QUICK — MARCH  !  CHARGE  BAYONET  ! '  Our  men  are  fall- 
ing at  every  step.  Grape  and  canister  are  rained  upon  us — the 
very  air  seems  black.  '  Forward,  't  is  life  or  death !  Forward ! 
forward ! '  is  the  cry.  The  enemy  give  way  before  us.  We 
are  soon  up  to  them.  They  cry  for  mercy,  or  attempt  to  es- 
cape, but  we  cut  them  down  before  us,  and  they  give  way  in 
utter  rout  'Forward!  forward!'  driving  them  still,  until  we 
pass  line  after  line,  and  we  see  our  own  men,  and  the  Stars  and 
Stripes,  through  the  smoke  and  dust,  to  our  left,  and  we  bear 
off  toward  them.  We  are  soon  under  the  protection  of  their 
guns;  and,  with  three  hundred  prisoners  we  have  captured  dur- 
ing our  terrible  dash  through  the  rebel  battle-lines,  night  thus 
closed  our  last  great  effort  in  the  battle  of  Chickamauga.  Our 
casualties  are  heavy ;  yet,  through  all  this,  God  has  spared  our 
regiment  very  remarkably  in  comparison  with  others.  0,  how 
ray  heart  goes  out  to  Him,  in  humble  gratitude,  for  bringing 


334  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

me  safely  through  the  terrors  of  this  dreadful  day  without  the 
slightest  injury!     .     .     . 

"  Yours,  for  God  and  our  country,          A.  L.  C." 


THE  ARMY  AT  CHATTANOOGA — AN  ADROIT  MOVE- 
MENT. 

Although  occupying  what  might  be  called  an  im- 
pregnable position,  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland,  as  it 
lay  at  Chattanooga  immediately  after  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga,  was  by  no  means  in  an  enviable  con- 
dition. Chattanooga  is  situated  in  a  bend  of  the  Ten- 
nessee River,  and  the  army  lay  in  intrenched  positions 
across  this  bend,  both  flanks  resting  on  the  river — the 
left  above,  and  the  right  below  the  town.  The  right 
flank  rested  on  the  Chattanooga  Creek,  near  the  base 
of  Lookout  Mountain,  and  where  it  empties  into  the 
Tennessee.  The  left  rested  on  the  Citico,  above  the 
city.  The  rebels  held  Lookout  Mountain  and  Mission 
Ridge — their  left  resting  on  the  Tennessee  River,  and 
their  right  on  the  ridge.  They  held  all  on  the  south 
side  of  the  river,  from  Lookout  to  Bridgeport,  and  not 
only  had  possession  of  all  the  roads  on  that  side  of  the 
river,  but  their  sharp-shooters  commanded  the  road  on 
the  north  side  also. 

We  had  the  gratification  of  watching  the  rebel  engi- 
neers at  work,  day  after  day,  busy  constructing  their 
works  on  both  mountains,  but  especially  on  the  north- 
eastern face  of  Lookout.  When  they  endeavored  to 
push  their  works  a  little  too  close  to  Chattanooga 
Creek,  our  rifled  thirty-two-pounders  usually  gave 
them  a  hint  that  we  did  not  wish  to  cultivate  any  closer 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  335 

acquaintance.  We  had  several  strong  works  erected 
on  our  front,  all  of  which  were  connected  by  a  heavy 
line  of  rifle-pits,  in  addition  to  which  were  continuous 
lines  of  earth-works  still  further  in  front.  The  bulk 
of  the  army  lay  within  these  intrenchments,  while 
strong  picket-lines  were  maintained  outside.  The  po- 
sition was  the  strongest  possible,  while  the  facilities 
for  still  further  adding  to  its  strength  were  unlimited. 
There  were  not  the  slightest  fears,  therefore,  so  far  as 
the  mere  holding  of  the  place  was  concerned,  if  the 
army  could  only  be  supplied.  This  was  the  most 
serious  feature  of  the  whole,  and  caused  the  greatest 
anxiety  in  the  army.  If  supplies  could  be  thrown  into 
Chattanooga,  the  Army  of  the  Cumberland  could  defy 
the  whole  Confederacy.  Toward  the  close  of  Octo- 
ber, however,  matters  began  to  assume  a  very  serious 
aspect  so  far  as  supplies  were  concerned.  It  was  evi- 
dent that  a  crisis  was  at  hand,  and  something  must  be 
done  to  avert  impending  difficulties  of  the  most  serious 
nature. 

The  base  of  supplies  was  at  Bridgeport  and  Steven- 
son, but  the  rebels  had  possession  of  the  roads  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river,  while  their  sharp-shooters  com- 
manded the  road  on  the  north  side  leading  to  Bridge- 
port, so  that  no  supplies  could  be  brought  from  below 
on  either  road.  The  supply-trains,  therefore,  had  to 
be  brought  from  Bridgeport  round  by  way  of  Jasper 
and  Dunlap,  in  the  Sequatchie  Valley,  and  over  a  steep, 
rugged  pass  of  the  Cumberland  Mountains,  a  distance 
of  sixty  miles.  By  this  time,  heavy  rains  had  set  in, 
and  the  mountain  streams,  especially  the  Sequatchie, 
were  swollen  to  such  an  extent  as  to  impede  the  prog- 


336  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

ress  of  the  immense  trains  necessary  to  supply  the 
army.  Mules  and  artillery  horses  had  been  taken  to 
the  north  side  of  the  river,  and  sent  into  the  different 
valleys,  for  sixty  or  seventy  miles,  in  search  of  forage, 
while  others  had  to  die  of  starvation.  The  roads  were 
getting  impassable,  trains  were  delayed,  and  the  rations 
were  becoming  so  reduced  that  the  men  were  beginning 
to  suffer  from  hunger.  A  single  instance  may  be  given 
by  way  of  illustration.  The  Eleventh,  as  well  as  other 
regiments,  went  out  one  day  on  picket  duty  with  empty 
haversacks.  They  had  had  no  supper  the  previous 
evening ;  had  no  breakfast  before  going  on  duty ;  were 
on  picket  outside  the  intrenchments  twenty -four  hours, 
and  came  in  again,  and  still  nothing  for  breakfast. 
Under  such  circumstances,  it  was  absolutely  necessary 
to  open  the  river  as  far  down  as  possible,  by  driving 
the  rebels  from  the  north  and  west  of  Lookout. 

There  were  two  pontoon  bridges  thrown  across  the 
river,  one  at  Chattanooga,  the  other  a  short  distance 
below.  The  rebels  attempted  frequently  to  destroy 
these  bridges  by  cutting  logs  and  heavy  timber,  lash- 
ing them  together,  and  setting  them  adrift  from  above, 
which,  coming  down  on  the  swift  current,  would  break 
the  pontoons  from  their  anchorage,  and  injure  the 
bridges.  Of  course  considerable  timber,  and  even 
pontoons,  would  occasionally  float  down  past  the  rebels 
at  Lookout  Point,  the  sight  of  which  always  gave  them 
satisfaction.  Frequently  the  rebels  sent  down  in  this 
manner  very  fine  saw-logs,  not  many  of  which  ever 
got  further  than  Chattanooga.  A  short  distance  above 
the  pontoons,  a  heavy  boom  was  thrown  across  the 
river,  and  a  detail  from  the  pioneer  corps  was  made  to 


L10HTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY   LIFE.  337 

secure  all  the  timber  floated  down,  and  which,  of  course, 
lodged  against  the  boom.  There  were  several  saw- 
mills on  the  river  bank,  and  they  were  kept  busy  at 
work  sawing  those  ver^r  logs  into  planks  suitable  for 
boat-building  purposes. 

Under  cover  of  the  steep  banks  and  bluffs,  so  as  to 
be  concealed  from  the  rebel  signal-corps,  were  sol- 
dier-mechanics, industriously  at  work  building  pon- 
toons, making  oars  and  boat-hooks,  and  fitting  planks 
and  string-pieces  for  bridges.  Some  houses  were  dis- 
mantled, the  boards,  rafters,  and  joists  taken  to  the 
river  bank,  and,  in  a  short  time,  a  large  Dumber  of 
pontoon-boats  and  barges,  built  from  timber  so  con- 
veniently furnished  by  the  rebels  themselves,  were 
launched  into  the  Tennessee  River.  One  moonlight 
night,  just  hazy  enough  on  the  river  to  render  objects 
at  a  distance  somewhat  indistinct,  troops  from  Baird's 
and  Reynolds' s  divisions  were  embarked  in  the  pon- 
toons, and,  at  a  given  signal,  the  whole  were  silently 
floated  down  the  river.  The  oars,  which  were  used 
just  enough  to  make  steerage-way,  were  muffled  with 
pieces  of  tents  and  blankets.  The  men  crouched  -as 
closely  together  as  possible  in  the  bottom  of  the  pon- 
toons, and  carefully  covered  their  muskets,  lest  they 
might  be  seen  gleaming  in  the  moonbeams.  Orders 
were  given  that  the  utmost  quietness  must  be  main- 
tained ;  no  speaking  above  a  whisper  was  to  be  allowed, 
and  every  man  was  to  be  ready  for  any  emergency. 

As  it  was  necessary  to  run  the  fleet  of  pontoons,  as 
much  as  possible,  in  the  shadow  of  the  woods  and  bluffs, 
they  had  to  be  floated  close  by  the  south  bank,  and, 
of  course,  under  the  very  noses  of  Bragg's  pickets. 
29 


338          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

As  they  floated  past  Lookout  Point,  our  men  could 
hear  the  rebel  pickets  talking  to  each  other,  and  taking 
considerable  comfort  from  the  evidences  they  saw,  in- 
distinctly, on  the  river,  of  another  break  in  the  Yankee 
pontoon  bridges. 

"Why,  Tom,  look  ye  thar!  Blamed  ef  that  aint  a 
pontoon ! " 

"Whar,  Bill?     Whar?" 

"  Why,  don 't  yer  see  ?  Thar,  in  that  streak  o'  dark 
under  the  bluff  thar." 

"Wall,  now,  so  it  is,  by  thunder!  Come  har,  you 
'uns  back  thar,  and  see  another  break.  Har  goes  an- 
other Yankee  pontoon  bridge." 

"Wall,  now,  ef  it  aint  so,  Bill!  Reckon  it'll  take 
the  Yanks  a  right  smart  chance  o'  work  ter  keep  thar 
bridges  goin'  at  that  ar  rate." 

"  Look  ye !  Look  ye  thar,  Bill — ef  it  aint  so  arter 
all.  Thar  goes  another — an'  another ! " 

"Beckon  we  have  'em  now,  Jim;  the  Yanks  can't 
git  out  of  that  ar  pen  up  thar.  Whew !  look  ye  thar, 
boys — thar  goes  another.  Golly!  What's  up  with 
our  'uns  above  ?  They  've  smashed  Rosecrans's  bridges 
this  time,  sartain."  And  so  on. 

On  reaching  Brown's  Ferry,  which  is  about  eight 
miles  below  Chattanooga,  the  pontoons  glided  close 
to  the  southern  bank — out  sprang  our  soldiers  and 
made  for  the  pickets,  when  a  scene  occurred  at  once 
ludicrous  and  exciting.  As  the  boats  landed,  and 
our  soldiers  leaped  out,  amid  the  dark  shadows  of 
the  hills  and  woods,  the  rebel  pickets,  who  had  been 
jesting  about  the  broken  bridge,  were  heard,  if  not 
seen,  laughing  from  the  other  side  of  their  faces. 


LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS   OF    ARMY   LIFE.  339 

"  Golly !  Jim,  them 's  Yanks !  Look  ye  thar — right 
thar!"  " 

"Whar,  Tom?     Whar?" 

"Why,  don't  yer  see?  Thar's  another  lot  of  'em 
landed  down  thar.  The  Yanks  have  played  us  a  trick, 
by  thunder ! " 

"  Do  n't  get  skeered,  Jim,  them  aint  Yanks." 

"  Them  is  Yanks.     Can't  I  see  ?" 

"Who  goes  thar?     Halt!" 

Bang,  whiz. 

"Sergeant  of  the  guard!" 

Bang,  bang,  whiz. 

"  The  Yanks  are  on  us,  Bill,  sartin ! " 

"  Surrender ! "  yelled  our  men,  as  they  closed  in  on 
them,  and  abruptly  stopped  their  dispute. 

The  rebel  pickets  were  captured  or  killed.  A  strong 
skirmish-line  was  instantly  thrown  out ;  a  detail  made  to 
throw  up  temporary  breastworks;  the  pontoons  were 
taken  to  the  north  side  of  the  river  to  bring  over  an- 
other force  that  had  marched  down  from  Chattanooga 
across  the  peninsula  on  that  side;  and,  in  a  short  time, 
the  rebels  were  driven  back  into  the  valley  and  up 
the  spurs  of  Lookout.  Meanwhile,  a  strong  pioneer 
force  was  at  work  constructing  a  pontoon  bridge  some 
nine  hundred  feet  long — a  feat  which  was  accomplished 
in  six  hours.  Next  day,  Hooker,  with  a  large  force, 
crossed  to  the  south  side  of  the  river,  at  Bridgeport, 
marched  up  as  speedily  as  possible,  and,  on  the  after- 
noon of  the  second  day,  united  with  the  force  at  Brown's 
Ferry. 

By  this  adroit  movement,  the  details  of  which  had 
been  executed  so  brilliantly  and  successfully,  the  roads 


340  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF    ARMY   LIFE. 

were  opened  on  both  sides  of  the  river.  The  rebels 
still  held  the  point  of  Lookout,  but  could  accomplish 
nothing  after  our  forces  had  gained  a  foothold  on  the 
south  side  of  the  river.  Not  only  were  the  roads  se- 
cured, but  the  river,  also,  was  cleared  from  Bridgeport 
to  Brown's  Ferry,  and  communications  with  the  base 
of  supplies  fully  established.  A  steamboat  had  been 
loaded  with  supplies  at  Bridgeport,  in  anticipation  of 
this  movement,  and,  in  the  course  of  a  day  or  two,  her 
whistle  awoke  the  echoes  of  Lookout,  as  she  steamed 
up  to  Brown's  Ferry,  with  two  hundred  thousand  ra- 
tions for  the  hungry  heroes  of  Chattanooga. 

This  movement  was  not  only  one  of  great  import- 
ance, so  far  as  establishing  communications  with  Bridge- 
port were  concerned,  but  it  took  the  rebels  so  much 
by  surprise  that  they  had  neither  time  nor  opportunity 
to  destroy  any  portion  of  the  railroad  before  being 
driven  back.  In  order  to  make  the  position  as  secure 
as  possible,  earthworks  were  thrown  up  by  our  forces, 
and  the  woods  cleared  off  in  front  of  the  lines  for  a 
considerable  distance.  The  rebel  army  was  in  such 
a  peculiar  position  that  Bragg  could  not  extend  or 
strengthen  this  part  of  his  line  without  exposing  his 
center,  and  he  had  to  yield  to  the  necessity  of  the  case, 
and  let  our  forces  have  undisturbed  possession.  It  was 
the  first  step,  however,  in  that  brilliant  strategy  that 
resulted  in  hurling  Bragg  from  his  intrenched  posi- 
tions on  Lookout  and  Mission  Ridge,  and  sent  him 
reeling  and  demoralized  to  the  fastnesses  beyond  Tay- 
lor's Ridge,  and,  finally,  to  —  it  is  hard  now  to  tell 
where. 


CHAPTER   XXVII. 

SECRETS    OF    THE    DOMESTIC    INSTITUTION WHITE    SLAVES AN   INCI- 
DENT ON  LOOKOUT  MOUNTAIN NEW  APPLICATION  OF  SCRIPTURE. 

IF,  in  the  providence  of  God,  war  is  absolutely 
necessary  for  the  purification  and  redemption  of  a 
people,  how  fearfully  foul  and  degraded  must  that  peo- 
ple be!  And  if  only  the  stern  rebukes  of  the  sword 
can  reach  the  hearts  and  consciences  of  those  whose 
civilization  and  religion  have  been  set  forth  as  being 
of  the  highest  order  and  purest  character,  and  whose 
claims  to  be  considered  as  the  truest  and  fullest  ex- 
ponents and  examples  of  intelligence,  refinement,  and 
piety,  have  been  openly  and  continually  insisted  upon 
in  Church  and  State,  how  false  must  have  been  their 
professions,  and  how  arrogant  and  absurd  their  claims ! 
And  yet,  every  day  in  which  this  war  has  been  carried 
on  has  only  been  making  new  and  additional  discov- 
eries of  the  fearfully  low  state  of  morals  and  religion 
in  the  slaveholding  Confederacy,  and  has  been  prov- 
ing how  hollow  and  pretentious  have  been  the  claims 
of  lordly  men-stealers  to  be  considered  as  the  only 
true  embodiments  of  intelligence  and  refinement  in  the 
country.  A  few  years  ago,  and  but  a  few,  the  masses 
of  Northern  people  were  led  to  believe  that  Southern 
society  was  of  the  highest  possible  type ;  that,  as  was 

(341) 


342          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

to  be  expected  among  a  high-sprung,  chivalrous  peo- 
ple, whose  keen  sense  of  honor  had  become  proverb- 
ial, there  might  be,  occasionally,  an  unhappy  quarrel, 
resulting,  perhaps,  in  the  use  of  the  knife  or  revolver ; 
that  there  might  be  even  a  Legree  found,  once  in  a 
great  while,  whose  rough,  angular  exterior  neither  god- 
ly bishops,  nor  learned  divinity  doctors,  nor  the  whole 
brotherhood  of  saintly  pro-slavery  preachers  could 
smooth  down  sufficiently  to  retain  the  gilding  of  Gos- 
pel sanctity  with  which  they  labored  hard  to  adorn 
him ;  but  that  these  were  mere  exceptions  to  a  gen- 
eral rule — only  rough  specimens  of  common  clay  acci- 
dentally found  among  the  precious  ingots  of  pure  gold. 
But  who,  to-day,  has  temerity  enough  to  stand  forth 
and  boldly  reiterate  such  falsehoods?  Who,  among 
all  the  apologists  of  slavery  in  former  days,  would 
dare  risk  any  little  reputation  for  honesty  or  truth 
they  may  ever  have  possessed,  by  trying  to  shield  the 
vile  institution?  Were  they  to  escape  the  charge  of 
falsehood  and  corruption,  it  would  only  be  because 
they  were  looked  upon  as  candidates  for  a  lunatic 
asylum.  Even  now,  one  of  the  greatest  curiosities  in 
theological  and  ethical  literature  is  Bishop  Hopkins's 
voluminous  and  shamelessly  wicked  argument  in  de- 
fense of  slavery  and  slaveholding  rebels.  In  future 
years,  his  bitterest  enemies  will  not  find  a  surer 
method  of  sending  down  his  character  to  posterity, 
blasted  and  blackened  sufficiently  to  satisfy  the  deepest 
hate,  than  by  simply  engraving  on  his  tombstone  his 
own  defense  of  human  bondage. 

Perhaps  the  reader  will  hardly  accuse  me  of  depart- 
ing from  an  anti-slavery  faith,  when  I  say  that  the 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LITE.  343 

whites  have  suffered  more,  proportionately,  at  the  hands 
of  slavery  than  the  blacks.  They  have  suffered  more, 
inasmuch  as  they  had  greater  privileges  and  powers, 
and  if  they  did  fall,  their  fall  was  all  the  deeper,  and 
their  degradation  all  the  greater. 

The  poor  whites  of  the  South — "  the  white  trash," 
as  they  are  generally  called — a  poor,  degraded,  igno- 
rant, thriftless  people,  who  are  at  once  the  objects  of 
the  slaveholder's  hate,  and  the  ready  tools  with  which 
to  work  his  schemes  of  villainy — bear  unmistakable 
evidence  of  the  crushing,  grinding  effects  of  slavery 
on  the  poor  non-slaveholding  whites,  while  the  every- 
day evidences  of  the  bleaching  process  on  the  colored 
race  testify  to  the  fearful  immoralities  of  slaveholders 
themselves.  The  unbridled  lust;  the  open,  unblush- 
ing profligacy;  the  utter  "confusion"  wrought  in  all 
domestic  sanctities,  duties,  and  relationships,  and  all 
the  nameless  crimes  incident  to  the  rearing  of  human 
cattle  for  the  slave  shambles — all  of  which  are  the  in- 
evitable and  necessary  outgrowths  of  the  horrid  sys- 
tem— have  covered  Southern  society  with  the  foulest 
of  moral  ulcers — ulcers  so  foul  and  festering  that,  if 
allowed  to  vitiate  and  corrupt  another  generation,  Na- 
ture herself  would  have  taken  revenge  and  spewed  the 
adulterous  brood  out  of  the  land.  To  converse  with 
a  Southerner  on  the  subject  of  slavery — not  by  way 
of  discussion,  but  to  gain  information — is  to  have  one's 
self-respect  violated,  and  feelings  of  manly  modesty 
shocked  and  outraged.  No  wonder  that  every  effort 
has  been  made  by  slaveholders  in  the  South,  and  their 
abject  apologists  at  the  North,  to  cover  up  the  loath- 
some secrets  of  the  vile  system,  and  conceal  from  the 


344          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

world  its  dark  and  diabolical  history.  It  is  well  known 
that'  interested  merchants  drugged  their  consciences 
with  moral  opiates,  while  blood-stained  gold  found  its 
way  to  their  coffers.  Corrupt  politicians  shamelessly 
sold  themselves  to  slaveholding  interests — and  to  the 
devil,  too,  for  that  matter — while  gifts  and  bribes  and 
political  honors  were  showered  upon  them  in  return. 
Time-serving  ministers  threw  away  the  keen-edged 
sword  of  Divine  Truth,  and,  lest  they  might  disturb  the 
ease  and  comfort  of  their  pro-slavery  supporters,  they 
wielded  instead  only  contemptible  pewter  weapons,  or 
they  so  garlanded  God's  sword  with  the  flowers  of 
rhetoric  and  poetry,  or  turned  its  keen  edge  with  the 
rough  ethics  of  organic  wrong,  that  it  would  not  cut. 
They  covered  up  or  explained  away  the  handwritings 
of  God  himself,  and  brought  into  their  pulpits  smooth, 
dreary  essays,  through  which  they  driveled  and  plod- 
ded, while  those  whose  gains  of  oppression  were  in- 
creasing day  by  day,  listened  with  easy  self-compla- 
cency and  comfort.  Faithful  ministers  of  the  Gospel, 
who  dared  rebuke  the  evil  spirit  that  had  entered  the 
high  places  of  the  Sanctuary,  and  spread  desolation 
and  woe,  were  mobbed,  imprisoned,  scourged,  banished, 
tarred  and  feathered,  hanged  or  shot,  while  reproaches 
and  curses  were  heaped  upon  their  names  and  char- 
acters. All  this,  and  much  more,  to  prevent  agitation, 
and  conceal  from  the  gaze  of  the  world  the  loathsome, 
secret  workings  of  the  SUM  OF  ALL  VILLAINIES.  But 
what  hath  God  wrought  since  slaveholders  raised  their 
bloody  hands  to  strike  down  Liberty,  and  make  her 
dwelling-place  a  desolation !  How  wondrously  He  has 
thwarted  their  wisest  plans,  and  defeated  their  deepest 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  345 

schemes!  He  hath  truly  caused  the  wrath  of  man 
to  praise  Him,  while  the  remainder — the  excess — of 
-wrath  he  hath  restrained.  The  very  plans  of  the 
rebels  have  resulted  in  the  ruin  of  their  pet  institu- 
tion; for  while  the  plowshare  of  war  has  been  crash- 
ing through  and  tearing  up  the  very  foundations  of 
Southern  society,  it  has  also  been  exposing  to  the  gaze 
of  an  astonished  world  the  dark  chambers  in  which 
have  rioted  the  foulest  passions  and  the  most  atrocious 
vices.  Those  who  have  been  in  the  army  know  these 
things ;  and  they  know,  furthermore,  that  such  a  bap- 
tism of  hate  against  slavery  has  descended  upon  the 
army,  that  every  soldier  is  another  Phinehas,  to  strike 
to  the  very  heart  the  vile  system — strike  it  till  it  dies, 
that  "  the  plague  may  be  stayed." 

Even  the  women  of  the  South,  who,  above  all  others, 
must  necessarily  have  felt  the  keen,  burning  disgrace 
attaching  to  the  vile  institution,  and  whose  womanly  del- 
icacy and  refinement  have  been  continually  and  sys- 
tematically outraged,  seem  to  have  sunk  under  the  de- 
basing influences  of  the  system,  and  to  have  become 
either  inured  or  indifferent  to  its  foulest  and  most  re- 
pulsive features.  I  have  known  of  instances  where 
they  even  seemed  to  glory  in  the  shame  of  their  own 
social  system. 

In  Nashville,  there  was  a  young  staff  officer,  who, 
on  seeing  a  beautiful  little  girl  standing  on  the  side- 
walk in  front  of  a  house  occupied  by  well-known  femi- 
nine rebels,  was  so  struck  with  her  childish  beauty  and 
gracefulness,  that  he  stooped  down  and  kissed  her. 
She  was  very  fair,  had  bright  blue  eyes,  ruby  lips,  her 
hair  was  in  pretty  wavy  ringlets,  and  she  was  neatly 


346          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

dressed.     A  young  lady,  who  noticed  him  kissing  the 
child,  sneeringly  remarked: 

"You  seem  to  be  very  fond  of  kissing  niggers." 
"Good  gracious!     You  don't  call  that  child  a  nig- 
ger, do  you?" 

"  Yes,  I  do.  She  is  only  a  nigger — nothing  else." 
The  little  girl  was  absolutely  prettier  than  the 
proud,  shameless  beauty  that  gloried  in  thus  calling 
attention  to  her  as  only  a  "  nigger,  nothing  more,"  and 
who,  unwittingly  perhaps,  exposed  one  of  the  terribly 
foul-  and  nameless  crimes  growing  out  of,  and  incident 
to,  the  vile  system  of  slavery.  Indeed,  it  is  one  of 
the  marked  features  of  this  "domestic  institution," 
that  there  are  many  "white  niggers,"  as  they  are  fa- 
cetiously called,  and  who,  like  the  little  girl  just  men- 
tioned, were  it  not  for  the  practiced  eye  of  the  con- 
noisseur of  human  merchandise,  might  pass  for  white 
men  or  white  women.  Why  there  should  be  so  many 
fair  girls,  with  rich,  wavy  tresses,  or  brunettes,  with 
dark,  sparkling  eyes,  or  blondes,  a  little  too  pale,  per- 
haps, with  blue  eyes  and  thin  ruby  lips,  let  those 
answer  whose  delicacy  and  moral  sensibilities  are  so 
frequently  shocked  at  the  possibility  of  the  negro  be- 
ing placed  on  a  level  with  the  white  man.  Perhaps 
they  will  inform  us  whether  all  these  are  evidences  of 
elevation  or  degradation,  and  to  which  race  the  honor 
of  being  elevated,  or  the  disgrace  of  being  debased, 
really  belongs.  And,  perhaps,  too,  they  will  explain 
the  reason  why  a  Southerner,  from  whom  was  gleaned 
considerable  information,  exclaimed,  when  speaking  of 
these  very  matters — "  Thunder !  a  man  do  n't  know  now 
who  he  is  marrying ! " 


LIGHTS  AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE.  347 

As  a  further  illustration  of  the  purity  of  morals, 
high  state  of  civilization,  and  general  piety  of  slave- 
holding  society,  the  following  is  inserted,  being  one  of 
a  number  of  similar  advertisements  taken  from  the 
Atlanta  Intelligencer:  - 

RUN  AWAY — $250  REWARD— From  my  house  in  Forsyth 
Street,  on  night  before  last,  a  negro  girl,  about  seventeen 
years  old,  about  medium  hight,  stout  made,  weighs  140  pounds; 
color,  while;  hazel  eyes,  rather  stoop-shouldered  ;  was  raised  in 
Clarke  County,  Georgia.  Any  person  returning  the  girl  to  me,  or 
giving  me  such  information  as  I  may  find  her,  will  obtain  the 
above  reward.  J.  K.  BEGAN. 

A  WOMAN'S  IDEA  OF  POOR  WHITE  CHILDREN. 

When  passing  through  Trenton  Valley,  a  little  inci- 
dent occurred  which  shows  how  the  poor  whites  are 
regarded  by  the  lordly  slaveholders  of  rebeldom.  By 
way  of  explanation,  it  may  just  be  remarked  that  the 
valley  is  one  of  the  best  for  raising  fruit — especially 
peaches.  The  finest  specimens  I  ever  saw  were  gath- 
ered in  the  few  orchards  to  be  found  in  the  valley. 
Peaches  weighing  from  six  to  eight  ounces,  sound  and 
well-flavored,  were  quite  common. 

"You  have  a  very  beautiful  country,  madam,"  said 
one  of  our  party  to  a  fair  daughter  of  the  "sunny 
South." 

"Yes;  good  enough,  I  reckon,"  she  replied,  some- 
what snappishly,  as  she  eyed  the  Yankee  invaders 
closely. 

"It  seems  to  be  a  fine  fruit  country.  Why  don't 
you  have  more  orchards?"  was  the  next  question,  put 
as  politely  as  possible. 


348          LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

"Orchards!"  she  exclaimed,  disdainfully.  "Who 
would  plant  orchards,  when  all  the  fruit  is  stolen  by 
the  white  trash  young  'uns  ?  " 

"Send  the  children  to  school,  and  educate  them  as 
you  ought  to  do,"  said  our  quarter-master.  "  If  you 
would  establish  Sunday-schools,  and  teach  the  ^white 
trash  young 'uns,'  as  you  call  them,  your  fruit  would 
be  safe  enough." 

"Do  you  'uns  think  we  'uns  are  fools  ?  "  she  answered 
quickly,  while  the  flashing  of  her  eye,  and  the  hight- 
ening  color  of  her  cheeks  showed  that  the  Southern 
heart  was  being  fired. 

"Educate  the  white  trash!"  she  continued;  "you 
can't  do  it — they  're  worse  than  niggers ! " — saying 
which,  she  nervously  shook,  not  her  feet,  but  her 
drapery,  as  a  testimony  against  the  Northern  van- 
dals who  had  dared  to  insinuate  that  children,  though 
poor,  might  be  educated. 

It  was  not  long  after  this  incident  occurred,  that 
we  had  a  very  graphic  illustration,  and  a  very  painful 
one,  too,  of  the  condition  of  the  poor  "  white  trash 
young  'uns,"  as  this  lady  called  them. 

While  crossing  Lookout  Mountain,  the  troops  were 
employed  in  getting  the  artillery  and  supply-trains  up 
the  steep  ascent.  While  waiting  for  this  to  be  ac- 
complished, our  attention  was  called  to  a  miserable 
log-cabin,  in  which  were  some  half  a  dozen  frowzy, 
tow-headed  children — half  naked,  dirty,  and  hungry- 
looking.  Now,  be  it  remembered,  our  army  was  in 
this  part  of  Georgia  for  the  first  time;  that  the  coun- 
try had  not,  as  yet,  been  gleaned  by  our  troops;  that 
wealthy  planters  were  all  around,  and  yet  here  were  a 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  349 

woman  and  several  children  huddle^  together  in  a 
ruinous  hut,  and  in  a  starving  condition.  There  was 
neither  chair,  table,  nor  bedstead — not  a  single  article 
of  furniture,  nor  sign  of  clothing  or  bedding,  except  a 
heap  of  rags — a  miserable  pallet — in  one  corner.  Sev- 
eral officers  on  General  Reynolds's  staff,  as  well  as  the 
General  himself,  looked  into  this  miserable  abode,  and 
were  appalled  at  such  a  scene  of  wretchedness.  Quite 
a  number  of  the  private  soldiers  did  the  same ;  and,  all 
honor  to  their  brave  and  generous  hearts,  many  of 
them  emptied  their  haversacks  for  the  benefit  of  the 
hungry  mother  and  children 

The  eldest  of  the  family  was  a  girl,  perhaps  eleven 
or  twelve  years  of  age,  and  who,  had  she  been  tidy 
and  well-dressed,  would  have  been  really  good-looking. 
One  of  the  officers  tried  to  draw  her  into  conversation, 
with  the  following  result : 

"  How  old  are  you,  sis  ?  " 

"Dunno,"  she  replied,  without  raising  her  head — 
"  ax  mother,  thar ;  'spects  she  knows." 

"Have  you  attended  school?"  he  asked.  "I  sup- 
pose you  can  read?" 

"No!  I've  never  been  to  school,"  she  replied,  her 
eyes  still  bent  downward,  and  her  fingers  twisting  the 
fringed  rents  in  the  single  coarse  garment  that  was 
held  together  by  sundry  strings  and  suspender-but- 
tons. 

"  Can  you  read?" 

"  No,  I  can't  read — reckon  I  might  larn — know  some 
letters." 

"Did  you  ever  attend  Sunday-school  or  go  to 
church?"  she  was  asked. 


350          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

She  looked  as.  if  she  thought  these  were  very  pre- 
posterous questions,  and  answered : 

"Wall,  I  heern  tell  something  'bout  Sunday-schools 
over  Big  Sand,  thar  'bouts,  but  dunno  nothin'  'bout 
'em." 

"Do  you  know  who  made  you?" 

"  Dunno  who  made  me.  Reckon  mother,  thar,  made 
me.  Ax  her ;  she  knows,  I  'spect." 

"What!  Do  you  not  know  about  God,  who  made 
you  and  me  and  all  things  ?  Did  no  one  ever  tell  you 
about  God?" 

"  Heern  tell  something  'bout  some  'un  they  called  the 
Lord;  but,  laws!  we  never  saw  him.  Old  Uncle  Bill 
sometimes  came  to  whar  we  lived  over  Sand,  and  used 
to  talk  'bout  sech  things.  Did  yer  ever  see  the  Lord?  " 

Now,  reader,  remember,  this  conversation  was  held 
with  a  white  girl  in  the  State  of  Georgia — a  part  of 
that  land  where  the  "  peculiar  institution " — so  long 
and  so  persistently  defended  by  savage  Legrees,  pol- 
ished, business-like  Haleys,  blustering  Tom  Lokers, 
and  sanctimonious,  smooth-faced  ministers,  elders,  and 
deacons — has  exercised  its  benign  and  Christianizing 
spirit;  and  where  they  have  boasted  of  having  so 
many  powerful  revivals  that  they  were  nearly  as  reg- 
ular and  plentiful  as  their  "barbacues"  and  "break- 
downs," and,  it  might  be  added,  equally  as  valua- 
ble. Was  not  this  incident  a  graphic  illustration  and 
proof  of  the  position  occupied  by  the  poor  in  slave- 
holding  society?  And  was  it  not  a  telling  comment 
on  the  heartless  words  of  the  proud  Southern  lady — 
"Educate  the  white  trash!  you  can't  do  it — they're 
worse  than  niggers?''' 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   01'   ARMY   LIFE  351 

A  NEW  APPLICATION  OF  SCRIPTURE. 

For  the  special  benefit  of  my  clerical  brethren,  I 
am  tempted  to  finish  this  chapter  of  odds  and  ends 
with  a  paragraph  or  £wo  on  exegetical  theology. 
The  exegesis  being  of  African  descent,  and  not  copy- 
righted, any  pulpit  aspirant  may  use  it,  if  he  choose, 
except  the  practical  application. 

Reuben — "  Uncle  Reub,"  as  he  was  familiarly  called 
by  our  camp  contrabands — Was  quite  a  genius  in  his 
way.  According  to  his  own  account,  he  had  been  a 
faithful  and  laborious  preacher  among  his  "culled 
bredren,"  and  was  a  strictly  orthodox  Baptist  of  the 
Hard-shell  persuasion. 

His  contempt  for  any  thing  outside  of  immersion,  in 
the  religious  world,  was  quite  edifying,  while  his  gravity 
and  earnestness  in  quoting  Scripture,  usually  wrong 
end  foremost,  would  have  graced  the  gravest  of  theo- 
logical chairs.  In  addition  to  his  onerous  and  self- 
imposed  duties  as  a  spiritual  guide  to  his  fellow-con- 
trabands, he  had  charge  of  the  major's  horse.  The 
majorj  it  may  be  remarked,  in  passing,  was  a  quiet 
old  wag,  and  frequently  remarked,  rather  dryly,  that 
"Harry  would  thrive  better  if  treated  to  less  theology 
and  more  curry-comb." 

It  might  also  be  stated  that  the  major  was  not  a 
firm  believer  in  total  abstinence,  although  I  never  saw 
him  drink  any  thing  except  from  a  canteen,  which  is 
always  supposed  to  contain  water.  Moreover,  al- 
though holding  ministers  in  all  due  respect,  he  was 
very  fond  of  a  joke  at  their  expense. 

One  day,  the  major  had  a  friend  from  a  neighboring 


352  LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

regiment  pay  him  a  visit,  and,  having  "  something," 
invited  him  to  partake.  Having  something  to  do  in 
the  tent,  Reub  was  present  long  enough,  during  the 
visitor's  stay,  to  see  that  a  bottle  was  not  far  off.  After 
the  visitor  left,  Uncle  Reub  was  noticed  looking  very 
much  as  a  gentleman  might  be  supposed  to  do  who 
felt  himself  somewhat  slighted.  Suspecting,  from  the 
lengthy  appearance  of  Reub's  face,  as  well  as  the  fur- 
tive glances  he  directed  toward  the  bottle,  what  was 
wrong,  the  major  said  : 

"  You  never  drink  any,  I  suppose,  Reuben  ?  " 

"  Wall,  no,  not  'xactly — dat  is,  major — I  dun  nebber 
drink  when  'mong  de  gals  an'  boys.  Yer  see,  major, 
wouldn't  nebber  do,  nohow.  I  allers  like  to  be  'sist- 
ent  wid  my  perfession,  as  de  good  book  says.  But 
de  fac'  is,  major,  I  dun  nebber  like  'fuse  any  thing 
from  any  gen'lman." 

The  major  took  the  hint,  and  acted  accordingly,  by 
passing  the  nearly-empty  bottle  to  Reub. 

Taking  it  into  his  hand,  with  a  pleasant,  self-satisfied 
smile,  he  showed  his  affection  for  spiritual  comforts  by 
taking  a  vigorous  pull  at  its  contents.  Then  he  re- 
turned the  bottle,  with  an  air  of  conscious  dignity,  say- 
ing. 

"  Dat's  good  liquor,  major.  Yes,  sah,  dat  ar  liquor 's 
de  ginuine  stuff." 

"Why,  Reub,  I  never  thought  you  would  drink — 
you  a  preacher!  Preachers  don't  drink,  do  they?" 

"Wall,  now,  major,"  said  Reuben — elevating  his  eye- 
brows, and  placing  his  fore-fingers  together,  as  if  about 
to  discuss  a  profound  problem  in  theology — "  yer  see, 
as  de  good  book  says,  we  must  be  'sistent  to  our  sure 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  353 

calling  and  'lection,  and  as  Paul  says  in  de  'pistle 
Revelations,  dat  it  is  not  what  passes  into  de  mouth 
dat  defiles  a  man,  but  it  is  what  passes  out.  Now, 
does  yer  see  de  pint,  major — does  yer  see  it?" 

"  Yes,"  said  the  major,  dryly,  "  I  see  it.     Put  the 
saddle  on  Harry." 

Who  will  say  that,  with  proper  culture  and  polish, 
Uncle  Reub  might  not  shine  alongside  those  eminent 
divines  who  have  written  such  learned  treatises  to 
prove  that  slavery  is  in  strict  accordance  with  the 
Golden  Rule — "  Whatsoever  ye  would  that  men  should 
do  to  you,  do  ye  even  so  to  them?" 
30 


CHAPTER   XXVIII. 

TOE  DYING  SOLDIER'S  DREAM  OF  HOME  AND  CHILDHOOD — THE  SEN- 
TINEL  LIFE   A   BATTLE THE    SPIRITUAL   VICTORY. 

"Our  friends  may  fill  an  early  grave, 

Our  every  hope  in  life  be  lost, 
And  'midst  the  storm  the  rising  wave 

May  see  our  bark  'midst  breakers  toss'd ; 
But  Faith  can  gild  the  dreary  tomb, 

Where  early  friends  in  silence  sleep; 
And  her  blight  arch  can  re-illume 

That  shore  beyond  the  swelling  deep. 

"Faith  speaks  of  myriads  round  the  throne, 

Who  once  were  suff" rers  here  below; 
And  shows  the  path  which  led  them  on 

To  glory  from  a  scene  of  woe. 
She  speaks  of  One  whom  hosts  adore, — 

Whom  angels  worship  in  the  sky; 
'Tis  to  the  Lamb  for  evermore 

Who  once  for  guilty  man  did  die." 

IF  "the  undercut  astronomer  is  mad,"  then  the  ir- 
reverent or  unfeeling  visitor  of  a  military  hospital  is 
more  than  mad.  No  one  can  pass  through  the  wards 
of  a  hospital,  and  mingle  with  the  sufferers  there,  by 
engaging  in  conversation  with  them,  ministering  to 
their  wants,  and  entering,  as  it  were,  into  their  feel- 
ings, without  becoming  either  a  better  or  a  worse  man. 
(354) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  355 

I  do  not  mean  that  he  will  become  more  easily  excited 
or  overcome  by  the  terrible  scenes  of  human  suffering 
that  he  must  necessarily  witness,  neither  do  I  mean 
that  he  will  become  less  resolute  in  his  efforts  to  do 
something  toward  alleviating  distress,  even  amid  all 
that  is  truly  revolting  to  every  tender  and  humane 
feeling.  To  become  so  used  to  scenes  of  suffering  as 
to  be  perfectly  calm  and  collected  is  by  no  means  in- 
compatible with  tender  feelings ;  hence,  because  a  man 
does  not  exhibit  a  certain  amount  of  nervousness,  or 
give  expression  to  every  tender  emotion,  we  are  not 
to  conclude  that  he  has  become  so  inured  to  scenes 
of  the  tragic  and  horrible  as  to  have  all  the  finer 
feelings  blunted,  or  the  more  humane  sensibilities  de- 
stroyed. But  we  are  not  to  forget,  at  the  same  time, 
that  constant  familiarity  with  scenes  of  suffering  have 
a  tendency  either  to  harden  or  soften  the  heart.  It 
will  make  a  person  either  more  callous  and  unfeel- 
ing, or  more  susceptible  of  kindly  emotions  and  more 
keenly  alive  to  the  necessities,  both  physical  and 
moral,  of  the  sick  and  wounded.  Any  one  who  can 
look  with  cold  indifference  on  the  carnage  of  a  battle- 
field, or  the  sad  and  terribly  revolting  scenes  of  a  hos- 
pital, with  all  their  accompaniments  of  the  tragic  and 
pathetic,  must  be  possessed  of  a  very  bad  heart.  On 
the  other  hand,  there  is  no  man,  of  any  pretension  to 
true  Christian  character,  who  will  not  be  all  the  better 
for  any  experiences  he  may  have  had  in  the  almost 
every-day  scenes  of  military  life.  If  ever  a  single 
doubt  or  fear  concerning  the  divine  authority  and  sav- 
ing power  of  the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ  has  disturbed 
his  peace  of  mind,  or  threatened  to  unsettle  his  faith 


356          LIGHTS  AND   SHADOWS   OF  ARMY   LIFE. 

and  darken  his  hope ;  if  ever  he  has  felt  to  murmur 
at  the  dispensations  of  Providence,  or  to  complain  at 
what  he  has  thought  to  be  his  hard  lot ;  if  ever  he  has 
been  tempted  to  look  upon  his  brother  man  through 
the  colored  glasses  of  mere  conventionalism,  arid  value 
him  just  in  proportion  to  his  wealth,  rank,  or  social 
standing ;  or  if  ever  he  is  threatened  with  the  foul 
spirit  of  cold,  calculating  selfishness,  or  the  distrust- 
ful, cynical  demon  of  misanthropy,  let  him  go  to  those 
scenes  of  suffering  where  every  look  is  agony,  and 
every  word  a  groan  or  a  prayer,  and  he  will  depart  a 
wiser  and  a  better  man. 

If  it  were  only  for  the  benefit  of  my  youthful  read- 
ers— God's  rich  blessing  rest  upon  each  of  them ! — I 
would  like  to  describe  one  of  the  many  sad  but  im- 
pressive and  interesting  scenes  I  have  witnessed  among 
the  wounded  on  the  battlefield  and  in  the  hospital. 
At  one  time,  I  was  called  to  witness  the  following, 
which  I  will  call  "  THE  DYING  SOLDIER'S  DREAM  OF 
CHILDHOOD." 

He  was  brought  into  the  hospital  mortally  wounded, 
by  the  accidental  discharge  of  a  musket,  although,  by 
a  false  feeling  of  kindness,  one  or  two  of  the  surgeons 
told  him  his  wound  was  severe  but  not  dangerous.  I 
thought  it  my  duty  to  undeceive  him;  and  so,  sitting 
down  beside  him,  and  taking  his  hand  in  mine,  while  I 
brushed  back  the  dark  curls  from  his  high,  open  brow, 
I  tried  to  lead  him  easily  into  such  a  channel  of  con- 
versation as  I  desired.  I  had  not  conversed  long  with 
him,  till  he  suddenly  inquired  what  I  thought  of  his 
prospects  of  recovery  ?  Rather  avoiding,  for  the  time 
being,  giving  a  direct  answer,  I  inquired  how  he  felt 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LIFE.          357 

himself  in  regard  to  that  matter  ?  He  answered,  with 
considerable  hesitation,  that  the  surgeons  told  him  he 
would  get  along  very  well,  but  that  he  himself  felt 
afraid  that  he  would  never  recover.  I  noticed,  too, 
that  his  lips  quivered,  and  he  drew  a  long,  deep  sigh. 
Then  he  turned  his  youthful,  open  face  full  upon  me, 
and  sighed  again.  There  was  a  choking,  fluttering 
sensation,  which  told  the  intensity  of  his  feelings,  and 
he  said,  "  If  I  was  only  at  home ! " 

Poor  boy!  Many  a  hill  and  valley  and  mountain 
gorge  and  broad  river  lay  between  him  and  his  home ! 
And  the  loving  ones  there  were  all  unconscious  of  his 
deep  distress;  and,  even  before  his  name  would  ap- 
pear in  the  columns  of  some  daily  paper  as  having 
been  severely  wounded,  he  would  already  be  "  where 
the  wicked  cease  from  troubling,  and  the  weary  are  at 
rest."  I  spoke  to  him  of  the  tender  sympathy  of 
the  infinite  Father,  of  the  all-sufficient  Savior,  who 
•was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  and  bruised  for 
our  iniquities,  and  how  that  a  full  and  free  salvation 
•was  offered  to  all  through  the  death  and  sufferings  of 
the  Lord  Jesus.  I  could  not  get  him  to  say  much; 
80,  after  praying  with  him,  I  left  him  for  a  time.  In 
a  few  hours,  I  called  to  see  him  again,  and,  in  the 
course  of  conversation,  endeavored  to  press  home  the 
momentous  truths  of  salvation.  At  last,  he  opened 
his  mind  freely,  and  told  me  he  thought  he  was  once  a 
Christian;  that  he  sought  an  interest  in  Christ  when 
a  boy,  and  felt  happy  in  the  belief  that  he  loved  the 
Savior,  that  his  happiest  hours  were  spent  in  the  Sun- 
day-school, and  that  he  used  to  take  delight  in  prayer 
and  reading  the  Scriptures. 


358  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

"I remember,  too,"  said  he,  "how  my  father  prayed. 
0,  chaplain,  I  had  a  good  father — he  's  in  heaven  now. 
How  he  prayed  for  me,  that  I  might  always  he  good! 
I  remember  the  night  that  he  died — and  how  happy 
he  was,  and  how  he  sung,  '  On  Jordan's  stormy  banks 
I  stand,'  and  how  he  put  his  hand  on  my  head,  and 
told  me  to  serve  God  and  meet  him  in  heaven !  0,  if 
I  was  as  good  as  my  father  was,  it  would  be  better 
with  me  now !  I  have  forgotten  all  my  promises — I 
have  turned  my  back  on  Christ — what  shall  I  do !  what 
shall  I  do!  I'm  dying — I  know  I'm  dying,  and  I 
am  afraid  to  die !  0,  Jesus,  have  mercy  on  me,  a  sin- 
ner!" 

I  did  not  interrupt  him  till  he  had  given  full  and 
free  vent  to  his  feelings,  and  then  tried  to  point  him 
to  the  all-sufficient  Savior. 

"Do  you  think  God  will  have  mercy  on  my  poor 
soul?"  he  exclaimed,  in  such  a  piteous  tone  of  voice, 
and  with  such  genuine  earnestness,  that  my- own  feel- 
ings overcame  me,  and  I  could  barely  say,  "Yes,  dear 
brother,  God  is  ready  now  to  bless  you,  to  forgive  you 
all  your  sins,  and  make  you  happy  in  the  enjoyment 
of  his  love." 

"But  I  have  neglected  prayer, and  backslidden  from 
God — I  have  sinned  against  light  and  knowledge.  I 
knew  better,  chaplain,  I  knew  better;  for  my  con- 
science troubled  me ;  it  was  God's  Spirit  striving  with 
me.  Yes,  I  knew  better,  for  I  once  loved  Jesus.  0, 
Jesus,  have  mercy  on  a  poor  sinner ! " 

"Hear  God's  own  answer  to  your  question,"  said  I. 
" '  If  any  man  sin  we  have  an  advocate  with  the  Father — 
Jesus  Christ,  the  righteous ;  and  he  is  the  propitiation 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          359 

for  our  sins;  and  not  for  ours  only,  but  also  for  the 
sins  of  the  whole  world.  God  so  loved  the  world  that 
he  gave  his  only-begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believ- 
eth  in  him  might  not  peiish,  but  have  everlasting  life/ 
Now,  these  words  are  "a;?  much  addressed  to  you  as  if 
there  were  not  another  sinner  upon  earth.  Take  them, 
as  God's  own  words,  to  yourself,  and  remember  that 
that  dear  Savior,  whom  you  say  you  once  served,  loves 
you  yet,  loves  you  now,  and  is  yearning  over  you  with 
the  deepest  sympathy.  He  waits  to  take  away  the 
heavy  burden  from  your  heart,  and  give  you  joy  and 
peace  in  believing.  Just  come  back  as  a  poor  wan- 
derer, weary  and  helpless,  and  remember  you  are  com- 
ing to  your  own  God  and  Savior,  who  knows  just 
•what  you  need,  and  how  you  feel,  and  is  more  willing 
to  receive  you  and  forgive  you  than  you  are  to  return 
to  him." 

"  0,  if  I  was  just  as  happy  as  I  once  was ;  but  now 
I  'm  here,  wounded  and  dying ;  and  I  am  suffering  so  I 
can  not  think — I  try  to  think  about  the  Savior  and 
about  salvation — and  I  try  to  pray!  But,  0,  this 
awful  pain !  What  will  I  do !  what  will  I  do !  Jesus  ! 
Jesus !  what  will  I  do ! "  he  exclaimed,  in  the  deepest 
agony  of  body  and  mind. 

"Believe  on  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ — cast  your  poor 
troubled  soul  upon  the  Savior — just  place  yourself,  as 
a  poor,  helpless  sinner,  in  his1,  hands,  and  you  will  be 
saved,"  said  I,  trying  to  lead  his  mind  to  the  one  only 
source  of  comfort. 

The  agony  of  this  poor  sufferer  was  terrible.  His 
pitiful  groans  sunk  into  my  very  heart,  and  made  me 
feel  as  if  I  was  entirely  powerless  to  do  him  good. 


360  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

Sometimes  it  was  difficult  to  tell  whether  his  bod- 
ily or  mental  anguish  were  greatest.  Frequently  the 
deep,  agonizing  groan  of  bodily  pain  Avould  end  in  a 
most  pathetic  cry  for  mercy,  or  a  childlike  petition  to 
be  received  into  the  favor  of  his  Heavenly  Father. 
Sometimes  he  turned  upon  me  such  a  pitiful,  helpless 
look — such  a  look  as  a  drowning  child  might  cast  to- 
ward its  mother — a  look  of  unutterable  meaning,  but 
which  plainly  said,  "I'm  dying — won't  you  help  me?" 
Seeing  that,  to  all  appearance,  he  was  rapidly  sinking, 
I  urged  him  to  accept  the  free  offer  of  reconciliation 
to  God  through  the  atonement  of  Christ,  and  after 
again  praying  with  him,  I  left  him  for  a  little  time. 
An  hour,  perhaps,  had  elapsed,  when  I  was  again  be- 
side him.  The  first  words  he  uttered  were : 

"I'm  trying  to  come  back  to  God,  and  I  think  that 
he  will  not  cast  me  off,  but  I'm  afraid." 

"I'm  going  to  ask  you  one  question,"  said  I,  "but 
you  must  not  answer  it  till  you  think  over  it.  It  is 
this — Do  you  think  that  God  loves  you  ?  " 

He  seemed  to  ponder  the  question  a  little,  and  then 
answered : 

"I  think — I  think  he  does  love  me." 

"  Yes,"  I  said,  "  God  loves  you  dearly,  and  sympa- 
thizes with  you  in  your  great  distress,  and  is  so  very 
anxious  for  your  soul's  salvation,  that  he  is  waiting 
even  now,  this  moment,  to  forgive  you  all  your  sins, 
and  make  you  happy  in  his  love.  You  would  believe 
the  word  of  an  earthly  friend — why  can  you  not  be- 
lieve the  promise  of  your  own  Heavenly  Father,  who 
says,  That  whosoever  believeth  on  the  Lord  Jesus 
Christ  shall  be  saved?  Just  trust  in  him,  just  throw 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          361 

yourself  as  you  are,  a  poor  helpless  sinner,  into  his 
hands,  and  you  will  be  saved." 

"  Is  that  all  I  'm  to  do  ?  "  said  he,  musingly ;  "  and 
yet  what  else  can  I  do  ?  Yes,  yes,  I  think  I  see  it 
all.  I  have  been  afraid  to  trust  in  the  promises  of 
God ;  I  feel  myself  to  be  so  unworthy — and  I  am  un- 
worthy, too,  a  poor,  miserable  sinner — but  now,  Jesus, 
dear  Savior,  I  come  to  thee,  a  poor,  helpless  sinner — 

'Here,  Lord,  I  give  myself  to  thee, 
'Tis  all  that  I  can  do.' 

Yes,  Lord,  it  is  all  that  I  can  do ! " 

Then  followed  a  scene  I  will  never  forget  to  my 
dying  day.  It  was  night.  The  temporary  hospital 
was  an  old,  dark,  dingy  house.  The  candle  burned 
dimly,  and  seemed,  by  its  flickering,  uncertain  light,  to 
make  the  gloomy  surroundings  all  the  more  gloomy. 
The  poor,  mangled  soldier-boy  lay  rolling  uneasily  from 
side  to  side.  Large  drops  of  cold  sweat  stood  like 
beads  on  his  open  brow.  Quivering  sensations  seemed 
to  pass  through  every  nerve  and  fiber  of  his  body,  and 
there  were  long,  deep,  shivering  sighs  which  told  of 
the  very  extremity  of  mortal  anguish.  His  large, 
bright  eye  grew  dim,  and  seemed  as  if  looking  up  from 
a  great  depth,  while  that  mysterious  change  of  color 
and  feature  took  place,  which  tells  that  the  wheels  of 
life  are  about  to  stand  still.  Suddenly  he  threw  out 
his  arms,  and  clasped  me  tightly  round  the  neck,  as  I 
stooped  over  him,  and  exclaimed: 

"What  shall  I  do!  0,  chaplain,  what  shall  I  do?" 
"  Put  your  trust  in  Christ,  your  own  Savior,  who 
died  for  you,"  I  replied. 
31 


862  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

"I  do  believe  in  Jesus,"  he  said,  "and  I  think  he 
will  save  me — yes,  he  will  save  me;  but,  0!  what  is 
this? — am  I  dying  now? — tell  me,  arn  I  dying?" 

"Yes,  you  are  dying,  dear  brother,"  I  answered. 
"  You  will  soon  be  in  the  spirit  world.  Is  Jesus  near 
you?  Have  you  peace  of  mind?" 

"  It 's  all  over  now,"  he  whispered.  "  God  has,  for 
Christ's  sake,  forgiven  me,  a  poor  sinner,  and  he  will 
take  me  to  himself.  Good-by,  chaplain,  good-by — 
a  little  closer" — he  drew  me  down,  and  put  his  cold 
lips  to  mine — "  good-by ;  I  hope  to  meet — you  in — 
heaven — good-by." 

He  fell  into  a  kind  of  stupor,  or  what  might  be 
called  an  uneasy  slumber,  and  I  sat  by  his  side,  wait- 
ing and  watching. 

He  dreamed. 

He  seemed  to  be  again  at  home,  mingling  with  loved 
ones,  for  I  heard  him  murmur,  slowly  and  feebly: 

"  Mother ! " 

Then  he  seemed  to  be  praying.  He  tried  to  clasp 
his  hands,  as  if,  a  child  again,  he  knelt  at  a  parent's 
knee,  and  was  repeating  his  evening  prayer.  I  stooped 
over  him,  and  listened  attentively  to  every  whisper. 
At  last  I  caught  a  few  disjointed  sentences,  as  fol- 
lows : 

"  Our  Father — who  art — this  night — I  lay  me — 
down — 0,  Jesus — my  Savior — take  me — to  heaven. 
Hallowed  be — thy  name." 

There  was  then  a  pause,  and  a  deep  sigh.  The  an- 
gel of  death  had  come !  The  golden  bowl  was  broken, 
and  the  wheel  stood  still  at  the  cistern !  Poor,  man- 
gled sufferer,  he  had  found  Christ,  and  his  dream 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE,          363 

of  childhood's  devotions  gave  place,  we  trust,  to  the 
brighter  visions  of  glory,  and  the  songs  of  salvation  !* 

THE  SENTINEL. 

Amid  the  general  routine  of  camp  life,  as  well  as 
amid  the  exciting  and  perilous  scenes  of  the  battle- 
field, there  is  much  to  interest  and  instruct.  There  is 
no  scene,  however  dark,  no  duty,  however  perilous,  no 
circumstances,  however  doubtful  or  ominous,  and  no 
movement,  however  complicated  or  mysterious,  but  to 
the  reflecting  mind  is  significant  and  impressive.  I 
have  often  thought  how  appropriate  and  instructive 
are  the  frequent  allusions  in  Scripture  to  the  habits 

*  While  these  pages  were  passing  through  the  press,  the  author 
was  invited  to  address  a  missionary  meeting  of  the  Trinity  M.  E. 
Sunday-school,  Cincinnati.  Thinking  the  above  narrative  would 
be  interesting,  I  repeated  it,  stating  that  the  young  soldier  had 
been  a  scholar  in  the  Sunday-school,  and  referred  to  it  when 
dying,  that  I  did  not  know  what  Sunday-school  he  had  belonged 
to,  only  that  it  was  one  in  Cincinnati.  At  the  conclusion  of  the 
remarks,  Rev.  Mr.  Chalfant,  the  pastor,  said: 

"  What  was  that  soldier's  name  ?  " 

"Thomas  K.  Mitchell,"  I  replied.  "He  was  sergeant-major  of 
our  regiment. 

"You  don't  know  what  Sunday-school  he  belonged  to?"  8aid 
Mr.  Chalfant. 

"  I  do  not.  He  was  a  member  of  a  Methodist  Church  and  Sun- 
day-school in  the  city — that  is  all  I  know." 

Mr.  Chalfant  rose,  and,  with  great  emotion,  said : 

"The  soldier  we  have  just  heard  of,  and  who  died  so  peacefully, 
although  in  great  suffering,  was  a  member  of  this  very  Sunday- 
school.  His  sister  and  mother  are,  perhaps,  not  preterit,  but  are  mem- 
bers of  this  Church" 

His  statement  had  a  thrilling  effect. 


364          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY    LIFE. 

and  customs  of  the  camp,  and  the  duties  and  responsi- 
bilities of  the  soldier,  especially  when  viewed  in  con- 
nection with  those  promises  which  refer  to  the  blessed 
results  of  unswerving  fidelity  to  the  cause  of  Christ. 

I  had  occasion  once  to  be  outside  our  lines,  and,  be- 
fore it  was  possible  for  me  to  return,  night  and  dark- 
ness had  set  in.  The  road  was  new  to  me ;  it  led 
through  dark,  heavy  woodland  and  rough,  rocky  hills, 
around  deserted  plantations  and  through  swamps,  cov- 
ered with  dark,  jungle-like  underbrush,  peculiar  to 
Tennessee  and  Georgia.  The  night  was  intensely 
dark  and  disagreeable,  and  only  added  to  my  feelings 
of  anxiety  and  no  little  fear.  In  the  language  of 
soldiers,  "  it  was  no  time  to  be  fooling  round  among 
the  pickets."  As  I  came  nearer  our  chain  of  senti- 
nels, I  rode  more  cautiously,  and  strained  my  ear  for 
every  sound;  for  careless  travelers,  and  nervous  or 
careless  sentinels  sometimes  make  mutual  and  fatal 
blunders.  Presently  a  loud  and  clear  voice  sang  out, 
sharply : 

"Halt!" 

To  move  a  step  further  is  to  hear  the  click  of  the 
musket  coming  to  a  "ready." 

"Who  goes  there?" 

"A  friend  with  the  countersign,"  is  the  answer. 

"  Advance,  friend,  and  give  the  countersign,"  is  the 
next  demand.  The  countersign  is  given  in  a  low  tone, 
with  the  point  of  the  bayonet  within  a  few  inches  of 
one's  breast. 

"All  right!"  and  we  pass  on.  This  is  repeated 
three  or  four  times  before  reaching  camp,  and  once 
there,  all  is  safe.  Now,  at  that  very  time,  there  was 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.          365 

every  possibility  that  some  of  these  sentinels  belonged 
to  my  own  regiment,  and  knew  my  voice  perfectly  well, 
and  were  even  expecting  me  to  pass  through  that 
night;  but  they  were  not  bound  to  know  me  or  any 
one  else  but  through  the  countersign. 

For  the  time  being  the  private  soldier,  on  his  post 
as  sentinel,  is  superior  to  any  one  else.  All  must  bow 
to  his  authority.  He  is  not  bound  to  know  any  one, 
whatever  may  be  the  rank  or  position  occupied.  The 
Commanding  General,  or  the  President  himself,  may 
ride  up,  but  he  is  superior  to  either  of  them,  and 
neither  General  nor  President  can  pass  without  the 
countersign.  The  darkness  which  envelops  the  lonely 
sentinel,  and  causes  him  to  strain  his  eyes  to  see  every 
object  that  is  suspicious,  throws  a  vail,  also,  over  rank 
and  position,  and  obliterates  all  distinctions.  He  is 
clothed  with  absolute  power,  and  has  life  and  death  in 
his  hands.  With  his  gun  loaded  and  capped,  he  walks 
his  solitary  beat,  and  is  as  absolute,  independent,  and 
rigid  in  his  exactions  as  the  greatest  monarch  that 
wears  a  crown.  For  the  time  being  his  authority  is 
supreme,  and  from  his  demands  there  is  no  appeal. 
Absolute,  rigorous,  inexorable,  he  places  all  persons 
of  all  ranks  on  the  same  common  level ;  and  he  causes 
the  Major-General,  who  commands  the  entire  force  in 
the  field,  to  dismount  from  his  horse,  and  give  the 
countersign  precisely  in  the  same  manner  as  the  hum- 
blest private  or  smallest  drummer-boy  in  the  army. 
And  not  only  so,  but  there  is  a  deference  and  respect 
paid  to  the  sentinel,  which,  without  any  particular  law 
or  order,  seems,  by  habit  and  common  consent,  to  be 
considered  both  necessary  and  becoming.  No  one  can 


366          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF  ARMY   LIFE. 

stand  by  and  witness  the  forms  and  ceremonies  of 
"guard-mounting"  without  being  impressed  with  the 
idea  that  those  who,  for  the  time  being,  are  on  "  guard 
duty"  are  considered  as  occupying  an  honorable  and  re- 
sponsible position.  It  seems  as  if  every  part  of  the 
routine  tended  to  impress  on  the  mind  of  each  one  of  the 
guard  that  he  was  honored  by  being  detailed  for  that 
important  duty;  that  he  was  considered  as  worthy  of 
all  respect;  that  the  lives  of  his  comrades,  the  safety 
of  the  army,  and  even  the  honor  and  welfare  of  his 
country  were  in  his  hands,  and  that  the  utmost  confi- 
dence was  placed  in  his  fidelity  and  courage.  I  never 
visited  a  picket-post,  nor  passed  a  sentinel  on  duty, 
but  I  felt  solemn ;  and  as  I  returned  his  salute,  I  have 
felt  to  say  to  him,  "You  have  preached  to  me  a  better 
sermon  than  ever  I  preached  to  others." 

He  holds  conversation  with  no  one;  he  can  neither 
whistle  nor  sing  to  pass  away  the  time  which  drags 
heavily  along ;  he  dare  not  sit  down,  nor  relinquish 
the  grasp  of  his  gun.  No  lights  are  allowed  on  the 
picket-line,  and  on  the  coldest  night  he  has  no  fire  to 
warm  his  chilled  and  weary  limbs.  Away  from  his 
comrades,  standing  at  his  post  alone,  perhaps  in  some 
dark  and  shadowy  ravine,  or  in  some  thick  woods,  the 
enemy  in  front,  watchful,  cunning,  and  ready  to  take 
any  advantage,  his  position  is  at  once  dangerous,  har- 
rassing,  and  honorable.  With  a  firm  grasp  on  the  lock 
of  his  musket,  he  watches  closely  every  object,  peers 
anxiously  into  the  dark  shadows  in  the  distance,  listens 
attentively  to  every  sound,  and  is  distrustful  of  all  be- 
neath and  around  him.  Only  in  one  direction  can  he 
look  without  suspicion,  and  that  is  upward  to  the  cold, 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY    LIFE.          367 

gray  sky,  where  the  stars  shine  forth,  in  calm  and  sub- 
lime majesty,  like  holy  watchers  in  the  City  of  God. 
The  rustling  among  the  leaves  close  by,  or  the  quivering 
of  the  twigs  in  the  nearest  tree,  may  only  be  the  antics 
of  some  restless  squirrel,  or  the  moving  of  some  home- 
less little  bird,  as  it  cowers  closer  under  the  lee  of  a 
sheltering  branch,  or  it  may  be  the  stealthy  tread  of 
an  enemy,  who  even  now  has  taken  deadly  aim  at  the 
sentinel's  bosom.  Always  cool,  calm,  and  collected, 
yet  with  every  faculty  of  body  and  mind  strained  to 
its  utmost  tension,  and  keenly  alive  to  the  dangers  and 
responsibilities  of  his  position,  thus  he  watches  with 
sleepless  vigilance,  while  his  comrades,  in  the  camp 
behind  him,  repose  in  comparative  comfort  and  se- 
curity. And  thus  the  weary  hours  of  the  sentinel's 
watch  pass  away,  his  duty  being  lightened  by  the  wel- 
come "relief"  of  comrades  on  duty  with  himself.  And, 
at  last,  with  what  a  thrill  of  gladness  does  he  hail  the 
first  faint  flush  of  the  eastern  sky,  which  tells  him 
that  "  The  night  is  far  spent,  and  the  day  is  at  hand ! " 
How  happy  and  thankful  he  is  when  he  sees  the 
"morning  star,"  that  bright,  beautiful  herald  of  the 
coming  day,  rising  from  behind  the  eastern  hills,  and 
shedding  forth  a  mild,  peaceful  radiance  amid  the  de- 
parting shadows  of  the  night !  And  as  the  sky  grad- 
ually brightens,  and  the  streamers  dance  upward  from 
the  rising  sun,  tinging  the  rolling  clouds  with  their 
rosy  hue,  and  fringing  them  with  crimson  and  gold, 
he  hears  the  bugle  sounding  the  reveille  in  the  distant 
camps,  and  he  rejoices  in  the  thought  that,  ere  long, 
he  will  be  relieved  from  duty,  and  rest  from  his  weary 
watchings. 


368          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

And  is  this  not  a  picture  of  the  Christian's  life  ?  Is  he 
not  a  spiritual  soldier,  engaged  in  a  spiritual  conflict, 
and  contending  for  a  prize  in  comparison  with  which 
all  earth's  crowns  and  kingdoms  and  glories  and  hon- 
ors are  but  as  the  vapors  of  the  summer's  morn,  or  as 
the  airy  bubbles  which  float  on  the  troubled  stream  ? 
Yes,  the  Christian  is  indeed  a  soldier — a  soldier  for 
Christ;  and  though  his  foes  are  many  and  powerful, 
yet  he  can  say,  "We  are  more  than  conquerors  through 
Him  that  loved  us." 

Some  of  the  most  impressive  and  instructive  lessons 
of  the  Bible  are  conveyed  to  us  in  the  language  of 
the  camp  and  field.  Sometimes  the  language  is  di- 
rect, and  has  the  ring  of  the  actual  conflict,  as  in  the 
Psalms  of  David.  At  other  times,  there  is  merely  an 
allusion  to  military  habits  and  customs,  as  in  some  of 
the  Epistles  of  Paul.  The  great  apostle  himself  con- 
cludes what  might  be  called  his  testimony,  with  the 
words  of  a  war-worn  veteran: 

"I  have  fought  a  good  fight;  I  have  finished  my 
course;  I  have  kept  the  faith." 

But  there  is  no  military  duty  referred  to  so  fre- 
quently in  the  inspired  volume  as  that  of  the  sentinel : 

"Watch  ye,  stand  fast  in  the  faith,  quit  you  like 
men,  be  strong!" 

"Let  us  not  sleep  as  do  others,  but  let  us  watch 
and  be  sober."  "Be  ye,  therefore,  sober,  and  watch 
unto  prayer."  "Watch  and  pray  that  ye  enter  not 
into  temptation."  "Take  ye  heed,  watch  and  pray." 
"And  what  I  say  unto  you,  I  say  unto  all,  WATCH." 

Such  are  a  few  of  the  many  passages  to  which  the 
sentinel  or  watcher's  duty  is  referred ;  and  when  these 


LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE.  369 

and  kindred  passages  are  studied  as  they  ought  to  be, 
what  a  flood  of  light  is  thrown  upon  the  Christian's 
character,  his  duties  and  responsibilities!  How  in- 
tensely anxious  to  be  faithful  in  all  things  must  the 
apostle  have  been  wlien  he  uttered  these  thrilling 
words:  "I,  therefore,  so  run,  not  as  uncertainly;  so 
fight  I,  not  as  one  that  beateth  the  air;  but  I  keep 
under  my  body  and  bring  it  in  subjection ;  lest  that  by 
any  means,  when  I  have  preached  to  others,  I  myself 
should  be  a  castaway ! "  And  how  tender,  yet  earnest 
and  emphatic,  was  his  injunction  to  Timothy :  "  Fight 
the  good  fight  of  faith,  lay  hold  on  eternal  life  where- 
unto  thou  art  also  called,  and  hast  professed  a  good 
profession  before  many  witnesses ! " 

When  we  consider  the  circumstances  which  surround 
the  Christian,  the  spiritual  foes  which  war  against  the 
soul,  the  temptations  which  must  be  overcome,  the  evil 
inclinations  which  must  be  subdued,  the  sins  which  so 
easily  beset  us  in  our  onward  and  upward  march  to 
glory,  and  the  absolute  necessity  of  a  constant,  vigor- 
ous, earnest  reaching  forth  toward  the  prize  of  full 
Christian  attainments — holy  happiness  in  living,  and 
happy  holiness  in  dying — how  appropriate  are  the  al- 
lusions to  military  customs,  and  how  impressive  are 
the  lessons  which  those  allusions  teach. 

Dear  reader,  are  you  a  soldier  for  Christ?  Have 
you  gone  forth  to  the  great  battle  of  life  with  him  as 
your  Leader,  your  Almighty  Protector,  and  ever-lov- 
ing Friend?  If  you  have,  then  go  forward  fearlessly 
and  faithfully,  for  the  victory  is  certain  and  the  reward 
is  sure.  Remember  that  life  is  a  struggle,  a  daily 
conflict,  and  not  a  time  of  repose.  Remember  that  on 


870          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

your  head  rests  not  as  yet  the  crown  of  glory,  but  the 
helmet  of  salvation;  that  as  yet  you  do  not  wave  the 
palm  of  victory  in  the  home  of  the  redeemed,  but 
you  wield  the  sword  of  the  spirit  on  the  battlefield  of 
life;  that  as  yet  you  are  not  clothed  with  the  radiant 
robe^of  the  conquerors  in  heaven,  but  with  the  armor 
of  God  upon  earth.  This,  then,  is  the  battle  and  the 
weary  march,  and  the  "watchings  oft;"  but  yonder 
are  the  final  victory, and  the  gladsome,  rest,  and  the 
joyful  entrance  into  the  City  of  God.  0,  there  are, 
beyond  all  the  fierce  conflicts,  and  the  anxious  watch- 
ings,  and  the  long,  dark  nights  of  sorrow,  and  the  weary 
hours  of  anxious  care,  other  and  brighter  scenes ! 

Yonder,  yet  in  the  distance,  but  seen  by  the  eye  of 
faith,  is  the  bright,  beautiful  morning  of  joy ;  and  yon- 
der are  the  immortal  crowns,  and  the  garments  shining 
as  the  sun,  and  the  harps  of  gold  which  roll  the  melo- 
dies of  salvation  as  a  mighty,  swelling  tide-wave  of  joy 
and  praise  through  the  bowers  of  Paradise !  And  yon- 
der are  the  evergreen  shores  of  the  better  land,  where 
the  pure  in  heart  shall  meet  again,  amid  scenes  of 
ravishing  beauty  and  fadeless  splendor !  Yonder  is  the 
great  White  Throne,  before  which  are  the  innumerable 
company  of  angels  and  the  spirits  of  just  men  made 
perfect,  who  serve  God  day  and  night  in  his  temple! 
Yonder  are  the  fountains  of  glory  which  play  perpetu- 
ally, and  the  streams  of  joy  that  flow  forever,  and  to 
which  the  blessed  Redeemer  will  lead  his  white-robed 
followers,  that  they  may  drink  and  rejoice  for  evermore ! 
And  last,  but  not  least — no,  no !  but  better,  more  glori- 
ous, more  welcome  than  all — is  JESUS,  our  dear,  blessed 
Savior,  for  whose  presence  we  have  had  such  myste- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  371 

rious  heart-longings,  and  without  whom  heaven  would 
be  deprived  of  all  its  beauty  and  joy !  When  He  places 
the  crown  upon  the  spiritual  warrior's  head,  then  the 
warfare  is  accomplished,  the  weary  pilgrimage  is  ended, 
and  the  tears  are  forever  wiped  away. 

Be  faithful,  dear  reader,  in  the  spiritual  conflict,  for 
victory  is  certain,  and  the  glorious  prize  is  sure.  And 
when  thou  hast  fought  thy  last  battle  and  thou  art 
gone  to  be  with  thy  Savior,  of  thee  it  shall  be  said : 

"  SERVANT  of  God  !  well  done; 
Rest  from  thy  loved  employ; 
The  battle  fought,  the  victory  won, 
Enter  thy  Master's  joy. 

The  pains  of  death  are  past, 
Labor  and  sorrow  cease, 
And  life's  long  warfare  closed  at  last) 
His  soul  is  found  in  peace. 
Soldier  of  Christ !  well  done; 
Praise  be  thy  new  employ ; 
And,  while  eternal  ages  run, 
Rest  in  thy  Savior's  joy." 


CHAPTER   XXIX. 

REBEL  BARBARITIES. 

FROM  the  first  shot  which  the  rebels  fired  at  Fort 
Sumter  till  the  present  hour,  the  slaveholders'  rebel- 
lion, in  all  its  phases,  has  been  but  one  continuous  and 
fearful  history  of  cowardly  brutality  and  barbarism. 
War,  at  any  time,  in  any  country,  and  under  any 
circumstances,  is  fearful,  cruel,  and  unnatural.  But 
fearful,  cruel,  and  unnatural  as  it  undoubtedly  is,  even 
when  conducted  with  some  little  regard  to  the  claims 
of  common  humanity,  how  terrible  must  it  be  when 
vindictive  cruelty,  that  should  cause  the  cheeks  of  sav- 
ages to  blush  with  shame,  is  permitted  to  glut  itself 
with  insults,  injuries,  and  even  death,  on  a  fallen  and 
helpless  foe!  When  the  atrocities  perpetrated  dur- 
ing the  Sepoy  rebellion  in  India  were  made  known, 
all  Christendom  stood  aghast  at  the  fearful  tale  of 
wholesale  butchery  and  fiendish  cruelty.  It  was  sup- 
posed that  such  scenes  had  never  been  enacted  in  the 
history  of  the  world,  and,  possibly,  never  would  be 
again.  But,  horrible  as  the  cruelties  perpetrated  by 
the  frenzied  Sepoys  were,  they  have  been  completely 
eclipsed  a  thousand  times  by  the  conduct  of  the  rebels 
since  they  began  their  causeless  and  wicked  rebellion. 
(372) 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          373 

With  but  few  exceptions,  they  have  never  evinced  the 
least  feeling  of  honor  or  mercy — even  of  common  hu- 
manity— toward  those  of  the  Union  army  that  have 
fallen  into  their  hands. 

After  our  army,  under  Thomas  and  Sherman  and 
Hooker,  had  driven  Bragg  from  Lookout  and  Mission 
Ridge,  and  sent  him  reeling  and  discomfited  beyond 
the  mountain  fastnesses  of  northern  Georgia,  the 
Chickamauga  battlefield  was  then  seen  as  a  terrible 
record  of  worse  than  savage  brutality.  No  full  de- 
scription of  the  revolting  scenes  which  our  soldiers 
then  beheld  has  ever  been  given,  and  probably  never 
will.  There  are  various  reasons  for  this,  one  of  which 
is,  that  there  would  be  needless  pain  inflicted  on  the 
relatives  of  those  noble  heroes  who  fell  in  battle.  Long 
after  we  had  driven  the  rebels  back,  and  our  men  had 
been  burying  their  dead  comrades,  who  had  been  de- 
nied the  common  boon  of  humanity — a  grave — the  vis- 
itor would  be  startled  by  sights  that  would  make  the 
blood  chill.  Ghastly  skeletons,  lying  exposed  to  the 
winds  of  heaven,  bare  and  bleached,  could  be  seen  as 
fearful  witnesses  of  rebel  inhumanity.  Shallow  graves 
were  found,  from  which  protruded  perhaps  a  bare,  bald 
skull,  or  perhaps  the  bleached  bones  of  hands  and 
feet.  A  few  handfuls  of  earth,  thrown  up  carelessly, 
and  partly  washed  away  by  the  rains,  was  all  that  hid 
many  of  the  dead  from  the  light  of  day.  There  lay 
members  of  my  regiment,  the  joy  and  pride  of  dear 
domestic  circles,  concerning  whom  I  have  had  to  main- 
tain silence  when  dear  parents  or  loving  sisters  spoke 
of  them,  because  of  the  manner  in  which  they  were 
found  on  that  horrid  field.  They  were  recognized  by 


874  LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

their  comrades,  and  what  was  left  of  their  mutilated 
remains  decently  buried;  but  they  were  recognized 
only  from  marks  on  their  clothing,  and  the  locality  in 
which  they  fell.  In  several  places  we  found  bodies, 
or  rather  remains,  lying  between  burned  logs,  part  of 
which — an  arm  or  leg,  for  instance — was  calcined,  as  if 
subjected  to  intense  heat,  while  other  parts  of  the  body 
were  crisp  and  dry.  It  is  firmly  believed  by  all  who 
saw  those  revolting  scenes,  that  many  of  our  wounded 
were  burned  alive,  horrible  as  it  may  seem,  for  bodies 
were  found  partly  consumed,  where  the  contraction  of 
the  muscles,  and  the  clenched  fingers,  seemed  to  in- 
dicate an  attempt  to  grasp  something,  while  the  gen- 
eral appearance  gave  evidence  of  a  violent  struggle  of 
some  kind.  In  one  place,  the  body  of  a  Union  sol- 
dier was  found,  with  both  ears  cut  off,  and  in  another, 
several  bodies  from  which  the  heads  had  been  removed. 
These  had  been  set  up  on  stakes  and  rails  of  the  fences, 
or  fastened  on  limbs  of  trees.  A  few,  and  but  a  few, 
graves  of  Union  soldiers  were  marked.  One,  in  which 
twelve  had  been  buried — a  long  trench — had  a  board  in- 
scribed "Twelve  Union  soldiers,"  and  another,  prob- 
ably an  officer's,  was  honored  with  a  flat  stone,  on 
which  was  marked,  "  A  damned  Yankee  nigger-thief 
lies  here  to  rot  and  pollute  our  soil." 

But  I  forbear.  The  details  are  sickening.  But  one 
thing  is  certain,  the  wretches  who  could  descend  to 
such  a  depth  of  brutality,  and  be  guilty  of  such  aim- 
less, wanton  treatment  of  the  helpless  wounded  or  the 
harmless  dead,  can  never  escape  a  fearful  retribution 
even  in  this  world;  and  it  is  a  matter  of  serious  doubt 
whether  they  will  ever  find  a  place  of  repentance. 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  375 

Chickamauga !  Chickamauga !  the  horrid  Golgotha  of 
Tennessee,  where  an  accursed  slaveholders'  treason 
slew  the  flower  of  the  country,  and  refused  the  harm- 
less dead  the  poor  but  common  boon  of  humanity,  will 
be  remembered — yes,  with  a  bitter  and  terrible  remem- 
brance !  And  when,  at  any  time,  wicked  compromisers 
with  wrong  will  even  dare  to  whisper  of  the  rights  of 
slaveholders,  the  veterans  of  Chickamauga  and  Mission 
Ridge,  and  all  who  are  worthy  their  friendship,  will 
fling  in  their  teeth  that  terrible  word,  CHICKAMAUGA, 
and  point  to  the  mutilated  remains  and  the  ghastly 
skeletons  there,  which  the  burning  sun  and  the  drench- 
ing rain  had  bleached — "Unknelled,  uncoffined,  and 
unknown." 

Our  children's  children  will  reverently  walk  over  the 
hallowed  field  of  Chickamauga.  They  will  note  with 
interest  its  historic  associations,  and  listen  with  thrill- 
ing interest  to  the  tales  of  heroic  bravery  which,  per- 
haps, some  gray -haired  sire  may  tell;  they  will  read, 
too,  about  the  Fort  Pillow  butchery,  and  the  brutalities 
at  Plymouth;  they  will  listen  to  the  horrid  tales  of 
Andersonville  and  Libby,  where  our  noble  patriot  sol- 
diers were  systematically  and  deliberately  tortured  and 
starved  to  death;  they  will  read  and  study  the  long,' 
fearful  narratives  of  wanton  cruelty,  and  unpitying, 
unrelenting  hate,  in  comparison  with  which  the  blind, 
frenzied  rage  of  the  Indian  Sepoys  can  scarcely  be 
named.  And,  as  they  read  or  hear  such  tales,  they 
will  not  only  learn  to  love  their  country,  but  they  will 
learn,  too,  to  hate,  with  deepest  hate,  the  iniquitous 
system  of  slavery,  in  the  interest  and  spirit  of  which" 
those  scenes  were  enacted. 


376          LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

THE  NATIONAL  CEMETERY. 

Not  far  from  Chattanooga  are  the  beautiful  grounds 
of  the  National  Military  Cemetery.  The  location  and 
general  outlines  are  all  that  could  be  desired  for  such 
a  purpose,  while  the  facilities  for  improving  and  adorn- 
ing what  will  be  truly  a  necropolis  of  patriot  soldiers 
are  abundant.  Seventy  acres  have  been  set  apart  for 
this  sacred  purpose.  The  work  of  improvement  has 
been  in  progress  since  January,  1864,  and  stumps, 
stones,  dead  timber,  and  other  debris,  have  been  mostly 
removed.  Drives  and  walks  have  been  laid  out,  and 
the  grounds  have  been  divided  off  so  that  soldiers 
from  the  various  states  are  buried  in  allotted  sec- 
tions. Large  numbers  of  the  bodies  of  those  who  were 
killed  in  battle,  or  who  died  of  wounds  or  disease,  and 
who  were  buried  in  the  various  temporary  graveyards 
around  Chattanooga  and  on  the  field  of  Chickamauga, 
have  been  taken  up  and  buried  carefully,  while  prepa- 
rations for  erecting  a  grand  National  Monument  have 
already  been  made. 

The  surrounding  scenery  is  of  the  most  beautiful 
and  varied  description.  On  the  east  and  south  is 
Mission  Ridge,  while  on  the  west  rise  the  dark  and 
romantic  outlines  of  Lookout  Mountain.  A  beautiful 
undulating  valley,  stretching  from  far  away  in  the 
north-east,  sweeps  nearly  around  the  gentle  slopes  of 
the  cemetery  grounds,  and  stretches  away  toward  the 
south  and  west,  till  it  is  bounded  by  the  blue,  hazy 
mountains  in  the  far  distance,  behind  which  the  setting 
sun  goes  down  in  such  splendors  as  are  seen  only  in 
a  southern  sky.  Many  a  time  I  have  gazed  with  rap- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.  377 

ture  on  those  scenes  of  surpassing  loveliness ;  and, 
while  standing  in  deep  meditation  on  the  hallowed 
ground  where  sleep  the  thousands  of  our  patriot  sol- 
diers, I  have  caught  myself  soaring  away  in  imagina- 
tion to  that  land  of  fadeless  splendor,  where  war's 
fierce  tumult  shall  never  be  heard,  and  where  death 
shall  be  unknown.  And  as  I  looked  upon  the  varied 
scenery  of  towering  mountains,  reflecting  back  the 
glories  of  the  setting  sun — the  lesser  hills  enveloped  in 
a  soft  blue  haze  which  gave  one  an  idea  of  dreaminess, 
together  with  the  peaceful  valley  lying  in  repose  and 
beauty,  and  lighted  up  with  the  various  tints  and  mild 
splendors  of  evening — I  have  felt  to  pray,  with  pas- 
sionate earnestness,  "0  God,  rebuke  the  wild  waves 
of  human  passion  which  are  surging  to  and  fro  in  our 
land,  and  make  man's  heart  as  loving  and  peaceful  as 
thou  hast  made  his  earthly  home  beautiful  and  pleas- 
ant ! "  But  as  I  looked  at  the  dread  enginery  of  war 
at  my  feet  and  all  around  me — the  frowning  embrasures 
and  the  deep-throated  cannon,  the  huge  piles  of  grape 
and  solid  shot,  the  gleaming  of  the  sentinel's  bayonet 
in  the  distance,  the  various  picket-posts,  and  all  that 
pertained  to  military  life — I  felt  as  if  we  were  far  from 
that  day  spoken  of  by  the  old  prophetic  bards,  and 
longed  for  by  all  of  God's  children. 

And  yet,  faith  in  the  visions  of  those  holy  men  of 
old,  faith*  in  the  promises  of  God,  faith  in  the  trans- 
forming and  purifying  influences  of  the  Gospel,  points 
with  "radiant  finger"  toward  a  brighter  and  happier 
day  for  our  beloved  country  and  for  the  world  at  large. 
Even  now  the  dark  clouds  are  measurably  driven  away, 
and  the  glad  sunshine  of  happier  days  yet  in  store 
32 


378          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OP   ARMY    LIFE. 

for  us,  is  already  streaming  forth  from  our  hitherto 
troubled  sky.  Let  us  rest  assured  that  sin  will  not 
always  triumph;  wrong  will  not  ahvays  prosper;  op- 
pression will  not  always  unfurl  its  grim  and  defiant 
banner,  and  flaunt  it  shamelessly  in  the  face  of  God 
and  man.  Cold,  calculating  selfishness  will  not  always 
grind  the  faces  of  the  poor,  nor  take  advantage  of  the 
sufferings  and  necessities  of  the  aiflicted.  War's  fear- 
ful shock  will  not  always  be  felt,  nor  its  fearful  scenes 
always  be  enacted.  Woman,  as  wife  or  mother,  will  not 
always  weep  in  sadness  and  loneliness  for  loved  ones 
who  will  return  no  more.  No ;  for  that  God,  who  rolled 
back  the  surging  waters  of  the  Deluge,  and  spanned 
the  dark  and  stormy  sky  with  the  rainbow  arch,  will 
roll  back  the  waves  of  strife,  and  span  our  troubled 
heavens  with  a  brighter  bow  than  that  of  old.  Christ's 
banner  of  Love  and  Purity  and  Peace  will  yet  be  un- 
furled on  every  shore,  and  float  on  every  breeze,  while 
the  songs  of  Zion  will  be  heard  in  every  land,  and 
shoutings  of  sacred  joy  will  burst  from  every  lip.  0, 
to  be  found  at  work  with  Christ  in  hastening  on  the 
blessed  day  of  the  world's  restoration  to  God!  Talk 
of  honor  and  position  and  riches!  What  honor  so 
great,  what  position  so  honorable,  and  what  riches  so 
enduring  and  satisfying  as  those  that  can  be  gained  in 
working  for  Christ  and  humanity !  When  the  brightest 
earthly  crown  has  faded,  and  the  most  honorable  of 
earth's  names  have  been  forgotten,  the  crown  of  the 
poorest  and  weakest  of  Christ's  followers  will  be  shin- 
ing with  resplendent  glory  in  heaven,  and  his  name 
will  be  recorded  in  the  Lamb's  Book  of  Life.  May 
the  reader  of  these  lines  be  found  among  those  who 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE.          379 

have  labored  for  Christ  and  humanity,  and  who  shall 
be  accounted  worthy  to  receive  that  crown  and  dwell 
forever  in  the  presence  of  God! 

COURAGE  AND  GENEROSITY. 

In  the  foregoing  pages,  a  few,  and  but  a  few,  of  the 
many  interesting  scenes  I  have  witnessed  in  the  army 
have  been  depicted.  Some  of  the  scenes  witnessed,  and 
of  which,  perhaps,  but  imperfect  outlines  have  been 
given,  were  very  touching  and  tender.  Others  were 
more  moving  and  sublimely  grand,  as  exhibitions  of 
heroic  endurance  and  bravery.  Some  again  were  per- 
haps humorous  and  amusing ;  but,  prominent  among  all 
the  moving,  panoramic  scenery  of  army  life  during  my 
experiences  on 'the  battlefields,  East  and  South,  in  the 
camp  or  the  hospital,  there  is  one  scene,  one  picture  of 
mingled  bravery  and  generosity,  that  rises  before  me 
every  day.  There  are  some  things  we  never  forget ; 
there  are  some  pictures  of  life  so  deeply  engraven  on 
our  hearts  that  they  will  never  be  effaced;  and  there 
are  some,  too,  that  we  never  wish  to  forget ;  but  we 
rather  cherish  them  as  precious  memories  of  scenes 
and  thoughts  and  deeds,  the  remembrance  of  which  may 
have  faded  from  all  hearts  save  our  own.  What  is 
about  to  be  related  is  one  of  those  incidents  which  sel- 
dom occur  without,  impressing  our  hearts  with  more 
exalted  opinions  concerning  our  fellow-men,  and  it 
might  form  a  fitting  close  to  these  Lights  and  Shadows 
of  Army  Life,  because  it  is  a  picture  that  has  no 
shadows  at  all — it  is  all  sunshine.  The  background 
may  be  a  little  dark,  but  it  will  only  serve  the  better 


380          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

to  reveal,  in  all  their  brilliancy  and  beauty,  the  sun- 
light of  generous  sympathy  which  falls  upon  it. 

While  proceeding  from  the  center  to  the  left,  where 
our  division  was  hotly  engaged  with  the  enemy,  among 
the  many  wounded  that  were  being  assisted  to  the  rear 
was  a  little  group — three  soldiers — all  of  whom  were 
severely  wounded,  and  who  were  slowly  wending  their 
way  from  the  front.  They  were  linked  arm  in  arm,  the 
center  one  being  supported  by  the  other  two.  The 
soldier  thus  supported  by  his  comrades  was  in  a  sad 
state.  His  face  was  covered  with  blood,  and  it  seemed, 
at  first  sight,  as  if  part  of  his  head  had  been  torn  away. 
On  coming  nearer  I  noticed  that  he  must  be  blind; 
for,  if  his  eyes  were  not  shot  out,  his  forehead  seemed 
to  be  so  broken  and  torn  that  it  was  lying  in  a  livid 
mass  over  his  face,  exposing,  at  the  "same  time,  his 
brain.  One  of  the  two  soldiers  who  were  assisting  him 
had  his  left  arm  rudely  tied  up  with  a  handkerchief, 
while  with  his  right  he  supported  his  wounded  comrade 
in  the  center.  The  man  on  the  right  was  wounded  in 
his  right  hand,  and  was  evidently  suffering  very  much. 
With  his  left  hand  under  his  comrade's  right,  he  was 
rendering  what  assistance  he  could  to  get  him  along. 
And  thus  those  two  noble  men,  faint  with  the  loss  of 
blood — one  with  a  rifle-ball  in  his  arm,  and  the  other 
with  part  of  his  hand  shot  away — were  assisting  a 
third,  whose  head  had  been  partially  laid  open  by  a 
piece  of  shell,  and  who  was  thereby  rendered  helpless. 

"I  wish  you  would  dress  this  man's  wounds,"  said 
one  of  them,  as  I  came  up;  "he  can't  go  much  further 
unless  something  is  done  for  him." 

We  got  him  into  a  fence-corner,  and  laid  him  down 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  381 

on  the  grass.  I  washed  the  blood  and  dust  from  his 
face,  replaced  the  fragment  of  skull  that  was  still  at- 
tached by  a  small  piece  of  flesh,  and  bandaged  the 
whole.  While  having  his  wound  dressed  he  uttered 
not  a  single  complaint — hardly  a  groan.  Giving  him 
a  little  wine,  I  told  him  he  must  remain  where  he  was, 
and  I  would  have  an  ambulance  sent  to  convey  him 
from  the  field. 

"Now,  John,  you  get  your  wound  dressed,"  said 
the  one  whose  fingers  were  shot  away. 

"No;  I  can  wait,"  said  his  comrade.  "You  get 
your  hand  seen  to — gtless  you're  suffering  more  than 
I  am." 

"No,  I  aint.  I  can  wait  better  than  you,"  said  the 
other;  but  he  had  to  clench  his  teeth  as  he  spoke, 
nevertheless. 

"Let  me  look  at  your  hand,"  said  I;  for  I  noticed 
he  was  suffering  like  a  martyr. 

Two  fingers  were  gone,  a  third  was  cut  nearly  in 
two,  the  fourth  was  barely  touched.  One  rifle-ball  had 
done  the  whole  work. 

"You  need  more  done  for  you,  my  brave  fellow, 
than  I  can  do  for  you  here.  However,  we  can  try 
to  make  you  a  little  more  comfortable." 

Having  put  a  temporary  dressing  upon  his  mutilated 
hand,  and  spoken  an  encouraging  word  to  him,  I  turned 
to  his  comrade  in  bravery  and  generosity. 

"0,  it's  only  a  flesh  wound,  that's  all!"  said  he. 
"I'll  soon  be  all  right  again;  but  then  I'd  better  take 
care  of  it,  I  suppose." 

It  was  only  a  flesh  wound,  but  it  had  bled  profusely, 
and,  poor  fellow,  he  was  quite  faint.  I  noticed  he 


382          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS    OP   ARMY   LIFE. 

grew  deathly  pale  as  he  laid  his  head  against  a  fence- 
rail  for  support.  I  got  some  water  for  him,  and  he  re- 
vived considerably;  and,  in  a  short  time,  I  got  his  arm 
dressed  temporarily.  The  truth  was,  that  those  men 
had  nerved  themselves  with  the  determination  to  assist 
their  helpless  and  apparently  mortally  wounded  com- 
rade, and  had  exerted  themselves  to  the  utmost  verge 
of  human  endurance  in  their  generous  work,  and  they 
both  sank  utterly  exhausted  with  the  efforts  they  had 
put  forth,  and  with  their  own  pain  and  lass  of  blood. 
In  a  short  time  I  succeeded  in  getting  two  of  them 
into  an  ambulance,  the  third  w.alked  on  without  any 
assistance. 

I  never  met  with  those  men  again,  probably  never 
will;  but  they  preached  to  me  the  noblest  and  most 
eloquent  sermon  on  true  manliness  and  Christian  effort 
and  true  self-sacrificing  generosity  I  ever  heard;  and 
if  all  the  professing  soldiers  of  Christ  engaged  on  the 
great  field  of  spiritual  strife  would  exhibit  the  same 
generous  feeling,  the  same  heroic  endurance,  in  behalf 
of  the  unfortunate  and  suffering,  what  a  worldful  of 
unselfish,  Christ-like  love  and  effort  would  there  be ! 
Whatever  may  be  our  circumstances  in  life,  we  can  all 
do  something  for  Christ  and  humanity.  If  we  have 
nothing  to  give  for  temporal  relief,  we  can  at  least 
speak  a  kind  word,  and  manifest  a  sympathizing  spirit. 
If  we  can  not  go  forth  in  the  front  ranks  of  the  con- 
flict for  righteousness  and  truth,  we  can  at  least  en- 
courage those  who  do,  and  we  will  find  it  frequently 
the  case  that  words  of  sympathy  and  encouragement 
do  more  good  than  gold  or  silver. 


LIGHTS  AND  SHADOWS  OF  ARMY  LIFE.       383 

ENCOURAGEMENT. 

In  the  midst  of  all  that  is  fair  and  promising  in  our 
country,  there  are  not  a  few  good  people  who  are  dis- 
posed to  look  upon  the  dark  side  of  things,  and,  even 
now,  when  the  rebellion  may  be  said  to  be  crushed,  see 
only  handwritings  of  wrath  against  us  as  a  people.  In 
the  midst  of  rejoicing,  they  are  sad,  and  they  spread 
sackcloth  over  all  the  bright  and  unmistakable  tokens 
of  God's  favor.  They  say,  and  they  say  truly,  that 
the  entire  nation  has  sinned  most  woefully ;  but  the  in- 
ferences drawn  from  this  are  as  incorrect  as  they  are 
gloomy.  May  not  a  people  repent?  Have  there  not 
been  practical  manifestations  on  the  part  of  the  people, 
and  of  the  Government,  to  establish  righteousness  and 
truth  in  the  land?  Has  not  our  starry  banner  been 
•washed  of  the  last  and  the  least  foul  spot  of  oppres- 
sion ?  And  is  there  not  in  sentiment  and  action  an  in- 
finite gulf  between  the  slave  oligarchy  of  the  South 
and  the  nation — yes,  the  nation  at  large?  If  the 
great  heart  of  the  North  has  not  already  been  touched 
by  God's  finger,  and  caused  to  pulsate,  more  or  less, 
in  harmony  with  the  great  and  good  principles  of  Je- 
hovah's own  government,  then  the  country  is  gone  be- 
yond hope  of  redemption.  For,  grant  that  the  North 
has  been  corrupt,  and,  in  many  instances,  has  connived 
with  wrong,  the  South  has  for  long  years  been  fester- 
ing with  the  foulest  of  moral  abominations — abomin- 
ations deliberately  and  systematically  pursued,  and 
which  entered  into  and  influenced  all  phases  of  social 
life.  If  the  North  has  not  yet  reached  the  broad  and 
elevated  platform  of  a  Christian  civilization,  then  the 


384  LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE. 

South  has  been  sunk  in  tte  very  depths  of  practical 
heathenism,  and  has  been  guilty  of  the  crimes  of  delib- 
erate and  persistent  barbarism — crimes  rendered  all 
the  more  wicked  and  inexcusable  from  their  being 
committed  in  this  enlightened  age  of  the  world.  If  a 
requisite  number  of  righteous  men  can  not  be  found  in 
the  North  to  save  the  country  from  the  fate  of  Sodom 
and  Gomorrah — a  fate  that  all  the  crowned  despots  and 
aristocrats  of  Europe  have  desired  to  befall  us — the 
South  assuredly  can  not  produce  them,  for  social  life 
in  the  South  has  been  Sodom  itself.  And,  wicked  as 
the  North  is — and  wicked  we  have  been,  and,  alas  !  still 
are — yet,  in  our  efforts  for  truth  and  freedom,  if  God 
can  not  in  mercy  smile  upon  us,  then  we  may  rest  as- 
sured that  the  perfections  of  his  character,  the  prin- 
ciples of  his  moral  government,  his  providential  deal- 
ings with  the  children  of  men  in  all  past  ages,  and  the 
declarations  of  his  own  Word,  forbid  the  thought  that 
he  can  smile  upon  the  South  in  her  insane  and  God- 
dishonoring  effort  to  establish  human  bondage  on  this 
continent;  and  therefore,  in  either  case,  the  fate  of 
the  nation  is  sealed. 

But,  far  from  taking  any  such  dark  view's  of  this 
matter,  we  ought  to  feel  the  rather  encouraged  and 
hopeful.  The  truth  is,  that  the  nation,  as  such,  is  now 
in  a  more  healthful,  hopeful  state,  in  all  respects — in 
political  purity,  ardent  patriotism,  Christian  benefi- 
cence, financial  soundness,  and  in  all  that  pertains  to 
national  greatness — than  at  any  time  since  the  first 
stone  of  Freedom's  temple  was  laid  by  our  Revolu- 
tionary fathers.  True,  a  few  years  ago,  there  were  no 
tumults  nor  wars  in  our  midst.  No  armed  battalions 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OP   ARMY   LITE.  385 

vrere  seen  going  forth  to  engage  in  deadly  strife,  with 
those  born  under,  and  protected  by,  the  same  dear  old 
flag.  All  was  order  and  peace ;  but  it  was  the  peace 
of  moral  death.  It  was  like  the  order,  decorum,  and 
stillness  which  reigned  among  the  dry  bones  which  lay 
bleaching  in  Ezekiel's  Valley  of  Vision.  There  was 
little  to  disturb  the  harmony  and  peace  which  prevailed 
while  moral  and  political  death  was  holding  high  car- 
nival, and  feeding  on  the  very  heart  of  the  nation. 
But  as  the  ancient  Seer  of  Israel  was  commanded  to 
prophesy,  and  say,  "0,  ye  dry  bones,  hear  the  word 
of  the  Lord,"  so  likewise  has  the  awakening,  quicken- 
ing voice  of  God  been  sounding  through  the  nation, 
and  a  strange,  fearful  shaking  has  been  the  result. 
The  nation  has  been  aroused  as  no  nation  has  ever 
been  aroused  before,  and  the  noise  we  have  heard,  and 
the  tumults  we  have  seen,  have  been  the  noise  and  tu- 
mult of  our  country's  resurrection.  From  one  end  of 
the  land  to  the  other,  from  the  Atlantic  to  the  Pacific, 
we  have  heard  the  din  and  tumult  of  an  exceeding 
great  army  aroused  from  inglorious  and  fatal  slum- 
ber by  the  reveille  of  Jehovah ;  and  that  army,  under 
his  protection  and  leadership,  has  been  rolling  back 
the  proud  and  defiant  hosts  of  robbery  and  oppression. 
True,  the  confusion  has  been  great,  and  the  sky  over- 
head has  been  dark,  and  the  lurid  flash  of  the  thunder- 
bolts of  war  has  been  seen  athwart  the  gloom,  and 
men's  hearts  have  often  been  failing  them  for  fear. 
And  there  are  many  stricken  hearts,  too,  in  the  land, 
that  will  never  be  healed  till  they  drink  of  the  crystal 
streams  of  glory;  and  there  are  many  eyes  dim  with 
tears,  that  will  never  be  bright  till  they  look  upon  the 
33 


386  LIGHTS    AND    SHADOWS    OF   ARMY   LIFE. 

face  of  Jesus,  and  the  fadeless  beauties  of  the  better 
land;  but,  notwithstanding  all  these,  God  has  been 
working  in  a  most  signal  manner  for  the  honor  of 
his  name,  and  the  gldry  of  his  power  in  the  redemp- 
tion of  our  country,  and  for  freedom  throughout  the 
world.  What  we  are  in  special  need  of  just  now  is 
faith  in  God — faith  in  his  wisdom  to  guide  and  govern 
the  world;  faith  in  his  power  to  overturn  every  op- 
posing institution  that  retards  the  progress  of  his 
kingdom  upon  earth ;  faith  in  his  unwavering  love  for 
the  children  of  men,  and  his  benevolent  designs  in 
their  behalf;  and  faith  in  his  declarations  concerning 
the  purposes  and  plans  of  the  wicked,  that  they  shall 
all  be  defeated,  and  it  shall  be  see"n  that  verily  God 
reigneth. 

"Deep  in  unfathomable  mines, 

Of  never  failing  skill, 
He  treasures  up  his  bright  designs 
And  works  his  sovereign  will." 

But  this  is  not  all.  It  is  refreshing  to  know  that 
there  are,  in  our  country,  thousands  and  tens  of  thou- 
sands of  noble,  generous  souls  who  feel,  more  than  ever, 
that  the  greatest  wealth  is  the  wealth  of  good  deeds, 
kind  words,  and  noble  and  ennobling  effort  in  behalf 
of  righteousness  and  truth ;  and  that,  while  sordid 
selfishness  has  been  looking  at  every  political  change 
or  public  calamity  with  a  view  to  extortion  and  self- 
aggrandizement,  there  has  been  seen,  among  the  masses 
of  the  people,  the  development  of  a  purer  and  nobler 
spirit.  This  is  one  of  the  most  hopeful  signs  of  the 
times — one  of  the  most  beautiful  tints  in  the  rainbow 
of  hope  and  promise  which  has  been,  and  still  is,  span- 


LIGHTS   AND   SHADOWS   OF   ARMY  LIFE.  387 

ning  the  moral  and  political  horizon  in  our  days  of 
gloom  and  peril.  And  may  it  not  be  that  God  has 
been  working  out  a  great  problem  that  has  often  baffled 
and  perplexed  the  earnest  men  and  women  of  our 
land;  namely,  how  the  people  were  to  be  educated 
for,  and  brought  to  stand  upon,  the  broad  platform  of 
Christian  generosity  and  beneficence !  How  the  all- 
devouring  lust  of  gain,  which,  for  years,  had  been 
threatening  our  religious  and  benevolent  enterprises, 
could  be  subdued,  and  a  healthy,  high-toned  spirit  of 
Christian  liberality  be  infused  into  the  masses  of  the 
people!  Our  God  is  a  wonder-working  God,  and  it 
will  be  seen,  by  the  present  generation,  that  he  does 
cause  the  wrath  of  man  to  praise  him — not  only  by 
confounding  the  plans  of  the  wicked,  and  bringing 
their  devices  to  naught,  defeating  them  in  their  efforts 
to  protect  and  perpetuate  wrong  and  outrage — but 
also  by  bringing  out  the  latent  principles  of  Christ- 
like  love  and  Christ-like  beneficence  on  the  part  of  his 
own  Church  and  people.  Since  this  war  commenced 
there  has  been  more  genuine  liberality,  more  hearty, 
earnest  charity  exhibited  by  the  people  at  large,  than 
ever  has  been  known  in  the  history  of  the  nation.  The 
truth  is,  that  the  world  has  never  furnished  such  in- 
stances of  patient,  persevering  labor — such  perfect 
outgushings  of  genuine  sympathy — in  behalf  of  a  na- 
tion's soldiers,  as  the  loyal  states  of  our  nation  have 
exhibited  -during  these  years  of  war  and  bloodshed. 
Hundreds  of  thousands  of  the  noble  women  of  our 
land  have  been  plying  the  busy  needle,  rolling  band- 
ages, making  lint,  preparing  fruits,  wines,  and  other 
delicacies  and  comforts,  for  the  sick  and  wounded  in 


388          LIGHTS   AND    SHADOWS   OP   ARMY  LIFE. 

the  field  and  hospital;  and,  although  the  calls  upon 
their  labors  and  charities  have  been  incessant,  they 
have  met  every  demand  with  a  cheerfulness  and  zeal 
which  tell  how  deeply  they  have  been  interested  in  the 
nation's  great  struggle.  All  honor  to  them  for  their 
noble  and  persevering  efforts !  Perhaps  my  position 
and  experience  in  the  army  enable  me  to  speak  more 
decidedly  as  to  the  good  the  various  aid  societies  have 
accomplished,  and  are  accomplishing,  through  the  Sani- 
tary and  Christian  Commissions ;  for,  in  numberless  in- 
stances, I  have  been  witness  to  the  fact  that  the  sick 
and  wounded  would  have  been  entirely  destitute  but 
for  the  timely  aid  of  those  blessed  institutions. 

May  the  fountains  of  practical  benevolence,  so  fully 
and  gloriously  opened  up  during  the  days  of  tumult 
and  war,  not  be  like  the  rain-season  wells  of  the  desert, 
which  furnish  refreshment  to  the  weary  traveler  only 
for  a  short  time,  but  may  they  be  like  the  perennial 
fountains  whose  sources  are  deep  in  the  mountain's 
bosom,  which  flow  on  and  flow  ever,  as  well  in  summer 
as  in  winter,  and  around  which  are  the  green  verdure, 
the  blooming  flowers,  and  the  cooling  shade  of  the 
stately  palm.  Let  us  cherish,  then,  faith  in  God,  and 
work  with  him  and  for  him  earnestly,  lovingly,  perse- 
veringly.  LET  us  WORK  "  UNTIL  THE  SPIRIT  BE  POURED 
UPON  US  FROM  ON  HIGH,  AND  THE  WILDERNESS  BE  A 
FRUITFUL  FIELD,  AND  THE  FRUITFUL  FIELD  BE  COUNTED 
FOR  A  FOREST.  THEN  JUDGMENT  WILL  DWELL  IN  THE 
WILDERNESS,  AND  RIGHTEOUSNESS  REMAIN  IN  THE 
FRUITFUL  FIELD  ;  AND  THE  WORK  OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS 
WILL  BE  PEACE;  AND  THE  EFFECT' OF  RIGHTEOUSNESS, 
QUIETNESS  AND  ASSURANCE  FOREVER." 


APPENDIX. 


APPENDIX. 


THERE  are  some  matters  of  a  more  limited,  or,  per- 
haps, local  interest,  with  which  it  has  been  considered 
not  best  to  burden  the  main  body  of  this  work,  but 
which  might  be  thrown  into  an  appendix.  There  are 
many  points  of  historic  interest  connected  with  the 
Eleventh  Ohio  Regiment  which  its  members,  and  those 
who  had  friends  in  any  way  connected  with  it,  would 
be  glad  to  see  placed  on  record.  Neither  to  avoid 
these,  nor  yet  unduly  obtrude  them  on  the  attention 
of  the  general  reader,  has  been  the  aim  of  the  au- 
thor. Nevertheless,  he  has  too  much  respect  for  his 
comrades  in  arms,  with  whom  he  was  associated  in  the 
camp  and  on  the  battlefield,  and  he  has  too  many  en- 
dearing remembrances  of  their  valor  and  patriotism, 
as  well  as  of  their  respect  and  kindness,  to  exclude 
from  this  little  work  a  tribute  of  praise,  or,  if  nothing 
more,  an  expression  of  kind  remembrance. 

When  this  part  of  the  work  was  first  projected,  the 
intention  was  to  have  a  list  of  all  who  belonged  to  the 
regiment  so  arranged  that  the  military  history  of  each 
man  would  be  given,  but  this  plan  had,  finally,  to  be 
abandoned,  as  it  would  have  swelled  the  work  far  be- 
yond any  reasonable  size.  A  list  of  all  the  commis- 

(891) 


392  APPENDIX. 

sioned  officers  and  non-commissioned  staff  is  given,  as 
also  a  list  of  those  killed  in  action  or  who  died  of  dis- 
ease. 

Field  and  Staff,  Eleventh  Regiment  O.  V.  I. 

C.  A.  DEVILLIERS,  Colonel.  Commissioned  July  6,  1861.  Dis- 
honorably dismissed  the  service,  in  accordance  with  the  sentence 
of  a  general  court-martial,  approved  by  General  Fremont  in  Gene- 
ral Order  No.  16,  April  4,  1862. 

AUGUSTUS  H.  COLEMAN,  Colonel.  Promoted  from  Captain  of 
Co.  D  to  Major,  on  original  organization  of  regiment.  Promoted 
to  Lieutenant-Colonel  January  9,  1862.  Promoted  to  Colonel  April, 
1862.  Killed  in  action  at  Antietam,  September  17,  1862. 

P.  P.  LANE,  Colonel.  Promoted  from  Captain  of  Company  K. 
Date  of  commission  as  Colonel,  September  17,  1862.  Resigned  and 
relieved  from  duty  November  3,  1863. 

JOSEPH  W.  FRIZELL,  Lieutenant-Colonel.  Commissioned  July  6, 
1861.  Resigned  and  relieved  from  duty  December  21,  1861. 

OODEN  STREET,  Lieutenant-Colonel.  Promoted  from  Captain  of 
Co.  C  September  17,  1862.  Was  in  command  of  regiment  from 
November  3,  1863,  till  regiment  was  mustered  out  at  the  expira- 
tion of  term  of  service,  June  21,  1864. 

LTMAN  J.  JACKSON,  Major.  Promoted  from  Captain  of  Co.  — , 
Thirty-first  Regiment  0.  V.  I.,  to  Major  Eleventh  Reg.  0.  V.  I., 
January  9,  1862.  Resigned  and  relieved  from  duty  November  4, 
1862. 

ASA  HIGGINS,  Major.  Promoted  from  Captain  of  Co.  G  October 
1,  1862.  Was  mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

J.  F.  GABRIEL,  Surgeon.  Commissioned  July  7,  1861.  Resigned 
and  relieved  from  duty  September  21,  1862. 

J.  McCuRDY,  Surgeon.  Promoted  from  Assistant  Surgeon  of 
Twenty-third  Regiment  0.  V.  I.  to  Surgeon  Eleventh  Regiment, 
October  15,  1862.  Appointed  Medical  Director,  June,  1864. 

H.  Z.  GILL,  Assistant  Surgeon.  Commissioned  July  7, 1861.  Re- 
uigned  and  relieved  from  duty  July  29,  1862. 

S.  HUDSON,  Assistant  Surgeon.  Commissioned  July  9, 1862.  Re- 
signed September  26,  1862. 

A.  C.  McNuTT,  Assistant  Surgeon.  Commissioned  July  11,  1862. 
Resigned  February  8,  1863. 


APPENDIX.  393 

N.  H.  SIDWELL,  Assistant  Surgeon.  Commissioned  December  1, 
1862.  Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

GEOKGE  W.  DUBOIS,  Chaplain.  Commissioned  July  10,  1861. 
Resigned  and  relieved  from  duty  January  31,  1862. 

W.  W.  LYLE,  Chaplain.  Commissioned  January  31, 1862.  Mus- 
tered out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

J.  H.  HORTON,  Adjutant.  Commissioned  June  14,  1861.  Re- 
signed and  relieved  from  duty  June  16,  1862. 

J.  E.  ALEXANDER,  Adjutant,  vice  Horton,  resigned.  Promoted 
from  First  Lieutenant,  Co.  B,  June  12,  1862.  Mortally  wounded  at 
the  battle  of  Bull  Run,  Va.,  August  27,  1862.  ^Subsequently  died 
in  United  States  Hospital,  Alexandria,  Va.,  October  20,  1862. 

ROBERT  C.  MORRIS,  Adjutant,  vice  Alexander,  died  of  wounds. 
Promoted  from  Second  Lieutenant  of  Co.  K  June  16,  1863.  Pro- 
moted to  Captain  September  9,  1863.  Assigned  to  Co.  I  Decem- 
ber 3,  1863.  Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

MILTON  H.  WILSON,  Adjutant,  vice  Morris,  promoted.  Promoted 
from  Sergeant-Major  September  9,  1863.  Mustered  out  with  regi- 
ment, June  21,  1864. 

J.  D.  SHANNON,  R.  Q.  M.  Appointed  Regimental  Quarter-master 
July  7,  1861.  Resigned  August  16,  1861. 

E.  H.  PRICE,  R.  Q.  M.,  vice  Shannon,  resigned.  Appointed  from 
First  Lieutenant  of  Co.  C  August  5,  1861.  Relieved  from  duty  as 
Regimental  Quarter-master  December  18,  1861. 

J.  W.  McAsEE,  R.  Q.  M.  Commissioned  November  29,  1861. 
Entered  on  duty  as  Regimental  Quarter-master  December  18,  1861. 
Appointed  as  Topographical  Engineer  on  General  Turchin's  Staff, 
,  1864.  Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

Non-commissioned  Staff. 

T.  K.  MITCHELL,  Sergeant-Major.  Appointed  July  20,  1861. 
Relieved  from  duty  January  3,  1862.  Reappointed  May  23,  1862. 
Died  of  wounds,  received  by  accidental  discharge  of  rifle,  January 
9,  1863. 

P.  R.  WAT,  Sergeant^Major.  Appointed  January  3,  1862.  Re- 
lieved from  duty  May  23,  1862. 

M.  H.  WILSON,  Sergeant-Major,  vice  Mitchell,  died  of  wounds. 
Promoted  from  Quarter-master  Sergeant  January  11,  1863.  Pro- 
moted to  Adjutant  September  9,  1862. 


394  APPENDIX. 

D.  C.  STUBBS,  Sergeant-Major,  vice  Wilson,  promoted.  Ap- 
pointed from  Sergeant  Co.  I  January  1,  1864. 

0.  CRISSINGER,  Quarter-master  Sergeant,  vice  Wilson,  promoted. 
Appointed  from  Co.  C  January  11,  1863. 

T.  L.  WINSLOW,  Commissary  Sergeant.      Appointed   March  1, 

1862.     Promoted  to  Second  Lieutenant ,  1864.     Mustered 

out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

JOSHUA  HARDEN,  Hospital  Steward.     Appointed ,  1861 

Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

HENRY  HART,  Drum-Major.  Appointed  July  20,  1861.  Dis- 
charged, on  account  of  disability,  January  25,  1864. 

Company  Officers. 

C.  J.  CHILDS,  Captain  Company  A.  Appointed  June  14,  1861. 
Resigned  May  5,  1862. 

T.  L.  P.  DE  FREES,  Captain  Co.  B.  Appointed  June  20,  1861. 
Resigned  August  26,  1861. 

0.  STREET,  Captain  Co.  C.  Appointed  July  1,  1861.  Promoted 
to  Lieutenant-Colonel  September  17,  1862. 

J.  V.  CURTIS,  Captain  Co.  D.  Appointed  June  19,  1861.  Re- 
signed April  25,  1862. 

AY.  L.  DOUGLASS,  Captain  Co.  E.  Appointed  December  19, 1861. 
Resigned  September  — ,  1862. 

S.  JOHNSON,  Captain  Co.  F.  Appointed  June  14,  1861.  Re- 
signed September  17,  1861. 

R.  B.  HARLAN,  Captain  Co.  G.  Appointed  July  9,  1861.  Re- 
signed July  19,  1861. 

ASA  HIGGINS,  Captain  Co.  G.  Appointed  July  23,  1861.  Pro- 
moted to  Major  October  1,  1862. 

JOHN  C.  DRURT,  Captain  Co.  H.  Appointed  June  17,  1861. 
Resigned  December  19,  1861.  Subsequently  reentered  the  service 
in  the  Ninety-fourth  Regiment  0.  V.  I.,  and  was  killed  in  action 
at  Perryville,  Ky. 

J.  P.  STALET,  Captain  Co.  I.  Appointed  August  9,  1862.  Re- 
signed June  16,  1863. 

P.  P.  LANE,  Captain  Co.  K.  Appointed  July  7, 1861.  Promoted 
to  Colonel  September  17,  1862. 

G.  W.  HATFIELD,  Captain  Co.  A.  Appointed  January  9,  1862. 
Promoted  from  First  Lieutenant.  Resigned ,  1863. 


APPENDIX.  395 

A.  DUNCAN,  Captain  Co.  B.  Appointed  August  26,  1861.  Pro- 
moted from  First  Sergeant.  Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June 
21,  1864. 

E.  H.  PRICE,  Captain  Co.  C.  Appointed  September  17,  1862. 
Promoted  from  First  Lieutenant.  Mustered  out  with  regiment, 
June  21,  1864. 

H.  L.  SEYMOUR,  Captain  Co.  D.  Appointed  April  18, 1862.  Re- 
signed   ,  1862. 

L.  G.  BROWN,  Captain  Co.  E.  Appointed  August  2,  1862.  Mus- 
tered out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

S.  TEVERBAUGH,  Captain  Co.  F.  Appointed  November  12,  1861. 
Promoted  from  First  Lieutenant.  Mustered  out  with  regiment, 
June  21,  1864. 

A.  H.  CHAPMAN,  Captain  Co.   G.     Appointed  October  1,  1862. 

Promoted  from  First  Lieutenant.     Resigned ,  1864. 

J.  B.  WELLER,  Captain  Co.  H.  Appointed  May  1,  1862.  Pro- 
moted from  First  Lieutenant.  Resigned  April  18,  1863,  on  account 
of  disability  from  wounds  received  at  Antietam. 

R.  C.  MORRIS,  Captain  Co.  I.  Appointed  September  9,  1863. 
Promoted  from  First  Lieutenant  and  Adjutant.  Mustered  out  with 
regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

G.  JOHNSON,  Captain  Co.  K.  Appointed  September  16,  1862. 
Promoted  from  First  Lieutenant.  Resigned,  on  account  of  dis- 
ability from  wounds,  December  20,  1863. 

E.  C.  JORDAN,  Captain  Co.  A.  Appointed  October  3,  1863. 
Promoted  from  First  Lieutenant.  Mustered  out  with  regiment, 
June  21,  1864. 

D.  L.  LAYMAN,  Captain  Co.  D.  Appointed  November  20,  1862. 
Promoted  from  First  Lieutenant.  Mustered  out  with  regiment, 
June  21,  1864. 

D.  K.  CURTIS,  Captain  Co.  H.  Appointed  October  3,  1863.  Killed 
in  battle  at  Mission  Ridge,  Ga.,  November  25,  1863. 

C.  LONGLEY,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  A.  Appointed  October  3,  1863. 
Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

J.  D.  SHANNON,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  B.     Appointed  June  20, 

1861.  Resigned  August  23,  1861. 

W.  K.  YOUNG,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  C.     Appointed  October  1, 

1862.  Resigned  May  25,  1863. 

SILAS  RONEY,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  E.  Appointed  December  19, 
1861.  Resigned  May  11,  1862. 


396  APPENDIX. 

N.  S.  McAuEE,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  F.  Appointed  November  12, 
1861.  Resigned  June  12,  1862. 

C,  B.  LINDSET,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  G.  Appointed  July  23, 1861. 
Resigned  April  19,  1862. 

C.  N.  HOAGLAND,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  H.     Appointed  June  17 

1861.  Resigned  November  12,  1861. 

F.  M.  ANDERTON,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  I.     Appointed  August  9, 

1862.  Resigned  March  22,  1863. 

T.  L.  STEWARD,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  I.     Appointed  August  8, 

1863.  Promoted  from  Second  Lieutenant.      Mustered  out  with 
regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

G.  P.  DARROW,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  K.    Appointed  July  7,  1861. 
Resigned  November  5,  1861. 

C.  J.  COTTINGIIAM,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  K.  Appointed  Decem- 
ber 26,  1861.  Resigned ,  1862. 

J.  E.  ALEXANDER,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  B.  Appointed  August 
26,  1861.  Appointed  Adjutant  June  12,  1862.  Died  of  wounds 
received  in  action,  October  20,  1862. 

J.  H.  HORTON,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  — .     Appointed  June  14, 

1861.  Appointed  Adjutant  July  19,  1861. 

C.   J.  McCLURE,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  K.     Appointed  June  6, 

1862.  Resigned  March  15,  1864. 

T.  Cox,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  K.     Appointed  June  17,  1862. 
M.  L.  EDWARDS,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  C.     Appointed  November 
20,  1862.     Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

J.  C.  KIEFABER,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  D.     Appointed  October  3, 

1863.  Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

G.  E.TECK,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  E.  Appointed  August  20, 1862. 
Killed  at  Mission  Ridge,  November  25,  1803. 

G.  S.  SWAIN,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  F.  Appointed  October  3, 1863. 
Promoted  from  Second  Lieutenant.  Mustered  out  with  regiment, 
June  21,  1864. 

P.  A.  ARTHUR,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  G.  Appointed  September 
17,  1862.  Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

C.  P.  ACHUFF,  First  Lieutenant  Co.  H.  Appointed  September  17, 
1862.  Resigned  May  2,  1863. 

A.  L.  CONKLIN,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  K.  Appointed  June  16, 
1862.  Promoted  from  Sergeant.  Mustered  out  with  regiment, 
June  21,  1864. 


APPENDIX.  397 

J.  W.  LA  RUE,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  A.  Appointed  June  14, 
1861.  Resigned  September  1,  1861. 

J.  G.  BUCKINGHAM,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  B.  Appointed  No- 
vember 29,  1862.  Resigned  June  1,  1863. 

G.  S.  HARDENBROOK,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  B.  Appointed  June 
23,  1863.  Mustered  out  with  regiment,  June  21,  1864. 

H.  M.  WILSON,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  C.      Appointed  July  1, 

1861.  Resigned  November  10,  1861. 

W.  CRUBAUGH,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  C.     Appointed  December 

26,  1861.     Resigned ,  186-. 

S.  A.  COLLINS,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  E.     Appointed  June  3, 

1862.  Resigned  —     — ,  186-. 

W.  H.  H.  GAHAGAN,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  D.  Appointed  June 
19,  1861.  Resigned  October  28,  1861. 

S.  WILLIAMS,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  D.     Appointed  December  26, 

1861.  Resigned  April  19,  1862. 

L.  C.  HOLABIRD,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  D.     Appointed  June  5, 

1862.  Transferred  to  another  department  May  5,  1863. 

J.  E.  ELLIOTT,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  E.     Appointed  December 

19,  1861.     Resigned  June  12,  1862. 

W.  M.  CULBERTSON,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  E.  Appointed  May 
1,  1862. 

JOHN  RONET,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  G.  Appointed  November 
1,  1862.  Mustered  out  with  regiment. 

JOSEPH  PEARSON,  Second  Lieutenant  Co.  H.     Appointed  October 

20,  1862.     Mustered  out  with  regiment 

List   of   Deceased   Officers   and   Soldiers,    Eleventh    Regi- 
ment O.  V.  I. 

Lieutenant-Colonel  A.  H.  COLEMAN.  Killed  at  Antietam,  Md., 
September  17,  1862. 

Adjutant  JOHN  E.  ALEXANDER.  Died  of  wounds  received  at 
Bull  Run,  Va.,  October  20,  1862. 

First  Lieutenant  G.  E.  PECK.  Killed  at  Mission  Ridge,  Novem- 
ber 25,  1863. 

Captain  D.  K.  CURTIS.  Killed  in  action  at  Mission  Ridge,  No- 
vember 25,  1863. 

CHARLES  ALLEN,  Company  A.  Killed  at  Mountain  Cove,  Va., 
August  25,  1861.  Buried  at  Hawk's  Nest. 


898  APPENDIX. 

JOHN  HAMMOND,  Co.  A.  Killed  in  action  at  Antietam,  Md., 
September  17,  1862. 

AUBREY  HATFIELD,  Co.  A.  Died  of  disease,  October  11,  1861. 
Remains  sent  to  his  home. 

ADOLPHUS  L.  SCHWARTZ,  Co.  A.  Died  of  disease,  October  5, 
1861.  Buried  at  Gallipolis,  0., 

JOHN  WROE,  Co.  A.  Killed  at  Cotton  Hill,  Va.,  November  10, 
1861. 

DANIEL  BANION,  Co.  B.  Killed  while  on  picket  at  Cotton  Hill, 
Va.,  November  10,  1861. 

ROBERT  BATCHELOR,  Co.  B.  Killed  at  Gauley  Bridge,  Va.,  No- 
vember 10,  1861. 

JAMES  ROACH,  Co.  B.  Killed  in  action  at  Mountain  Cove,  Va., 
August  20,  1861. 

STEPHEN  B.  MCDANIEL,  Co.  C.  Died  of  disease,  October  19, 1861. 
Buried  at  Gallipolis,  0. 

HENRY  BROWN,  Co.  C.  Died  of  disease,  August  9,  1861.  Buried 
at  Gallipolis,  0. 

JOHN  JOHNSON,  Co.  C.  Died  of  disease,  November  20,  1863. 
Buried  at  Summerville,  Va. 

JAMES  MCCREARY,  Co.  C.  Killed  in  action  at  South  Mountain, 
Md.,  September  14,  1862. 

JOHN  SINNINGS,  Co.  C.  Died  of  disease,  November  8,  1861. 
Buried  at  Gallipolis,  0. 

JOHN  C.  TRAVIS,  Co.  C.  Died  of  disease,  September  11,  1862. 
Buried  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

JOHN  V.  WOLVERTON,  Co.  D.     Died  of  disease,  September  20, 

1861.  Buried  at  Fayetteville,  Va. 

ARCHIBALD  DARROW,  Co.  D.  Died  of  disease,  September  9, 1861. 
Buried  at  Troy,  0. 

JOHN  L.  PALMERSTON,  Co.  D.     Died  of  disease,  September  15, 

1862.  Buried  at  Washington,  D.  C. 

RQSWEL  S.  WAGNER,  Co.  E.  Died  of  disease  at  Raleigh,  Va., 
June  7,  1862.  Remains  sent  to  his  home,  Troy,  0. 

JOHN  BAKER,  Co.  E.  Killed  at  South  Mountain,  Md.,  September 
14,  1862. 

FREDERICK  HENRY,  Co.  E.  Died  of  disease,  February  18,  1862. 
Buried  at  Point  Pleasant,  Va. 

JAMES  WESTFALL,  Co.  E.  Died  of  disease,  February  7,  1863. 
Buried  at  Point  Pleasant,  Va. 


APPENDIX.  399 

OLIVER  S.  BOLSER,  Co.  F.  Died  of  disease,  January  21,  1862. 
Remains  sent  to  his  home. 

GEORGE  W.  KIRK,  Co.  F.  Died  of  disease,  March  3,  1862.  Re- 
mains  sent  to  his  home. 

JAMES  WOLFE,  Co.  F.  Died  of  wounds  received  at  Antietam, 
Md.,  September  18,  1862.  "Buried  at  Frederick,  Md. 

JAMES  H.  CHANXELL,  Co.  G.  Died  of  disease,  November  7,  1861. 
Remains  sent  to  his  home. 

JOHN  R.  HENRY,  Co.  G.  Killed  at  South  Mountain,  Md.,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1862. 

HEXRY  G.  KEENAN,  Co.  G.  Killed  by  falling  off  railroad  cars, 
August  26,  1862. 

JOHN  G.  SMITHSON,  Co.  G.  Died  of  disease,  August  9,  1861. 
Buried  at  Gauley  Bridge,  Va. 

SOLOMON  R.  BYRKETT,  Co.-  H.  Died  of  disease,  February  14, 
1862.  Buried  at  Troy,  0. 

LUDWIG  HARTSTEIN,  Co.  H.  Killed  at  Rich  Creek,  Va.,  August 
25,  1861. 

ANDREW  F.  THOMPSON,  Co.  H.  Died  of  wounds  received  at  South 
Mountain,  Md.,  October  8,  1862. 

THOMAS  VANDYNE,  Co.  H.  Died  of  wounds  received  at  Tyler 
Mountain,  Va,,  July  25,  1861. 

JACOB  M.  WENTZ,  Co.  H.  Killed  at  South  Mountain,  Md.,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1862. 

JOHN  Boss,  Co.  K.  Killed  at  South  Mountain,  Md.,  September 
14,  1862. 

WILLIAM  A.  FOWLER,  Co.  K.  Died  of  disease  at  Point  Pleasant, 
Va.,  January  24,  1862. 

BENJAMIN  STEARNS,  Co.  K.  Died  of  disease  at  Cincinnati,  0., 
July  15,  1861. 

JOHN  SCHLOSSER,  Co.  K.  Killed  at  South  Mountain,  Md.,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1862. 

JOHN  WERNER,  Co.  K.  Killed  at  Antietam,  Md.,  September  17, 
1862. 

Corporal  CHARLES  W.  WRIGHT,  Co.  K.  Killed  at  Antietam,  Md., 
September  17,  1862. 

JACOB  BECK,  Co.  I  Died  of  disease  at  Summerville,  Va.,  De- 
cember 27,  1862. 

Sergeant-Major  THOMAS  K.  MITCHELL.  Killed,  by  accidental  dis- 
charge of  a  rifle,  January  9,  1863. 


400  APPENDIX. 

JAMES  MELANET,  Co.  D.  Died  of  disease,  March  12,  1863. 
Buried  at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

PERRY  CARTER,  Co.  D.  Died  of  disease,  April  19,  1863. 
Buried  at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

JOHN  R.  DIXON,  Co.  G.  Died  of  disease,  April  12,  1863. 
Remains  sent  to  his  home. 

JESSE  C.  BARTHOLOMEW,  Co.  H.  Died  of  disease,  April  22, 1863. 
Buried  at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

JOSEPH  P.  WELLER,  Co.  I.  Died  of  disease,  February  23,  1863. 
Buried  at  Nashville,  Tenn. 

FREDERICK  LUCRE,  Co.  B.  Died  of  disease,  May  22,  1863. 
Buried  at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

CHARLES  SEGAR,  Co.  D.  Died  of  disease,  May  18, 1863.  Buried 
at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

GEORGE  ANDERSON,  Co.  D.  Died  of  disease,  May  29,  1863. 
Buried  at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

HENRY  C.  DAY,  Co.  A.  Died  of  disease,  May  6,  ]  863.  Buried  at 
Nashville,  Tenn. 

THOMAS  H.  FALL,  Co.  I.  Died  of  disease,  May  17, 1863.  Buried 
at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

JACOB  REIF,  Co.  K.  Died  of  disease,  May  19,  1863.  Buried  at 
Columbus,  0. 

REXSSELAER  CARSON,  Co.  K.  Died  of  disease,  May  25,  1863. 
Buried  at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

HEXRY  BAUDEXDISTLE,  Co.  A.  Killed  by  accidental  bursting  of 
a  shell,  June  20,  1863. 

J.  F.  COLTHER,  Co.  E.  Died  of  disease,  June  3,  1863.  Buried 
at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

EPHRAIM  A.  MORROW,  Co.  F.  Died  of  disease,  June  2,  1863. 
Buried  at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

J.  FUNK,  Co.  H.  Died  of  disease,  May  2,  1863.  Buried  at 
Louisville,  Ky. 

J.  F.  KEMPER,  Co.  I.  Died  of  disease,  June  5,  1863.  Buried  at 
Carthage,  Tenn. 

Sergeant  THOMAS  SHAIN,  Co.  I.  Died  of  disease,  June  25,  1863. 
Buried  at  Carthage,  Tenn. 

GEOR"GE  WILLIAMS,  Co.  A.  Died  of  wounds  received  by  acci- 
dental bursting  of  a  shell,  July  21,  1863. 

WILLIAM  ALLEN,  Co.  K.  Died  of  disease,  July  19,  1863.  Buried 
at  Murfreesboro,  Tenn. 


APPENDIX.  401 

JOSEPH  WYRICK,  Co.  A.  Died  of  wounds  received  by  accidental 
explosion,  August  14,  1863.  Remains  sent  to  his  home. 

MARTIN  SCHEELER,  Co.  B.  Died  of  disease,  August  15,  1863. 
Buried  at  University  Place,  Tenn. 

Corporal  DAVID  L.  BROSIUS,  Co.  C.  Died  of  disease,  August  8, 
1863.  Remains  sent  to  Salem,  0. 

FREDERICK  KUMMER,  Co.  B.  Died  of  disease,  September  20, 
1863,  and  left  on  field  at  Chickamauga,  Ga.  Died  in  an  ambu- 
lance during  battle. 

PATRICK  MURPHY,  Co.  B.  Killed  on  a  reconnoissance,  at  Chatta- 
nooga, Tenn.,  September  24,  1863. 

Sergeant  GEORGE  CART,  Co.  D.  Killed  at  Chickamauga,  Ga., 
September  20,  1863. 

CHARLES  GEHRCH,  Co.  E.  Died  of  disease  at  Trenton,  Ga.,  Sep- 
tember 18,  1863. 

Corporal  WILLIAM  B.  CROWELL,  Co.  I.  Killed  in  action  at 
Chickamauga,  Ga.,  September  20,  1863. 

PETER  KEWEN,  Co.  I.  Killed  in  action  at  Church  Mound,  Ga., 
September  17,  1863. 

JOSEPH  BRINKE,  Co.  K.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Ga., 
and  died  at  Andersonville,  Ga., ,  1864. 

MARION  POWELL,  Co.  K.  Killed  in  action  at  Chickamauga,  Ga., 
September  20,  1863. 

Sergeant  JACOB  R.  STERRITT,  Co.  D.  Died  of  wounds  received  in 
action  at  Chickamauga,  Ga.,  October  22,  1863. 

GEORGE  S.  TAPLEY,  Co.  B.  Killed  at  South  Mountain,  Md.,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1862. 

MANVILLE  HOGLE,  Co.  B.  Killed  at  Mission  Ridge,  November 
25,  1863. 

JOHN  H.  PECK,  Co.  I.  Died  of  disease  at  Chattanooga,  Tenn., 
October  5,  1863.  . 

JACOB  H.  BOON,  Co.  H.  Died  of  wounds  received  in  action  at 
Mission  Ridge,  December  9,  1863. 

E.  DOLD,  Co.  K.     Died  of  disease,  October  18, 1863. 

CONRAD  SCHEELER,  Co.  B.  Killed  in  action  at  Mission  Ridge, 
November  25,  1863. 

Louis  BOON,  Co.  C.  Died  of  disease  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  April 
19, 1864. 

SEBASTIAN  CALLAHAN,  Co.  C.  Died  of  disease,  February  12, 
1864. 


402  APPENDIX. 

W.  BRANDON,  Co.  D.  Drowned  at  Gallipolis,  0.,  February  25, 
1862. 

ELIAS  BAINET,  Co.  D.  Killed  in  action  at  Mission  Ridge,  No- 
vember 25,  1863. 

JOHN  VANCAMP,  Co.  D.  Died  of  wounds  received  in  action,  Oc- 
tober 22.  1863. 

SAMUEL  LIPPINCOTT  Co.  F.  Died  of  disease,  November  10, 
1863. 

JOHN  B.  ROBERTS,  Co.  G.  Died  of  disease  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
January  30,  1864. 

HIRAM  PARTLOW,  Co.  H,  Died  of  disease  at  Nashville,  Tenn., 
April  4,  1864. 

MICHAEL  HOATH,  Co.  K.  Killed  in  action  at  Mission  Ridge,  No- 
vember 25,  1863. 

MARION  B.  WOLF,  Co.  I.  Died  of  wounds  received  in  action, 
December  6,  1863. 

SIMEON  SHIDLER,  Co.  I.  Died  of  wounds  received  in  action,  De- 
cember 13,  1863. 

G.  L.  MURPHY,  Co.  I.  Died  of  wounds  received  in  action,  No- 
vember 26,  1863. 

NOAH  SAMS,  Co.  I.     Died  of  disease,  February  27,  1863. 

GEORGE  SMITH,  Co.  K.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  and 
died  at  Andersonville,  Ga., ,  1864. 

WILLIAM  REAMER,  Co.  H.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1863.  Died  at  Andersonville,  Ga. 

CHARLES  MARTIN,  Co.  A.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1863.  Died  at  Danville,  Ga. 

ISAAC  AVERT,  Co.  B.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1863.  Died  at  Danville,  Ga. 

WILLIAM  CART,  Co.  D.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1863.  Died  at  Andersonville,  Ga. 

MARTIN  WILLIAMS,  Co.  D.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga, 
September  20,  1863.  Died  at  Danville,  Ga. 

W.  H.  H.  BOYLE,  Co.  E.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1863.  Died  at  Andersonville,  Ga. 

JOHN  COLLIER,  Co.  G.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1863.  Died  at  Andersonville,  Ga. 

HENRY  MCKNIGHT,  Co.  G.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1863.  Died  at  Andersonville,  Ga. 


APPENDIX.  403 

JOHN  HICKS,  Co.  G.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Septem- 
ber 20,  1863.  Died  at  Andersonville,  Ga. 

JOHN  CARBONDALE,  Co.  H.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga, 
September  20,  1863.  Died  at  Richmond,  Va. 

CHARLES  MORRIS,  Co.  H.  Taken  prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  Sep- 
tember 20,  1863.  Died  a£  Andersonville,  Ga.  . 


THE     END. 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  LIBRARY 

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